(99m)Tc-pyrophosphate scintigraphy for differentiating light-chain cardiac amyloidosis from the transthyretin-related familial and senile cardiac amyloidoses. (17/60)

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A case of dermatomyositis with secondary Sjogren's Syndrome-diagnosis with follow-up study of technetium-99m pyrophosphate scintigraphy. (18/60)

PURPOSE: To report a case of dermatomyositis (DM) with secondary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and propose the clinical application of technetium-99m pyrophosphate ((99m)Tc-PYP) scan. CASE REPORT: A 50-year-old woman had progressive proximal muscle weakness of bilateral thighs, myalgia, tea-colored urine, and exercise intolerance for 6 months. Physical examination showed malar rash, V-sign, periungual erythema, and mechanic hands. Neurological assessment showed symmetric pelvic-girdle weakness, myopathic face, waddling gait, but preserved deep tendon reflex and sensory functions. DM was diagnosed on the basis of typical rashes and serum creatinine kinase elevation (7397 IU/L). Aside from myopathic symptoms, dry eye and mouth were reported. Thorough autoantibody searches showed positive anti-SSA/Ro antibody (198 U/ml). Both Schirmer's test and sialoscintigraphy were positive, leading secondary SS as diagnosis. Initial (99m)Tc-PYP scan revealed increased radiouptake in the muscles of bilateral thighs, compatible with clinical assessment. Followup scan three months later shows abnormal but attenuated radiouptake at bilateral thighs, in the presence of nearly-complete clinical recovery. CONCLUSION: DM with secondary SS in adult is a unique disease entity, with predominantly myopathic symptoms and satisfactory therapeutic response as its characteristics. Our serial muscle imaging studies suggest that (99m)Tc-PYP scan is at once anatomically-specific and persistently-sensitive to microstructural damages within inflammatory muscles, enabling clinician to monitor disease activity and therapeutic response.  (+info)

Postoperative myocardial infarction documented by technetium pyrophosphate scan using single-photon emission computed tomography: significance of intraoperative myocardial ischemia and hemodynamic control. (19/60)

The aim of this prospective study was to document postoperative myocardial infarction (PMI) by technetium pyrophosphate scan using single-photon emission computed tomography (TcPPi-SPECT) in 28 patients undergoing elective coronary bypass grafting (CABG). The relationships of intraoperative electrocardiographic myocardial ischemia, hemodynamic responses, and pharmacological requirements to this incidence of PMI were correlated. Radionuclide cardioangiography and TcPPi-SPECT were performed 24 h preoperatively and 48 h postoperatively. A standard high-dose fentanyl anesthetic protocol was used. Twenty-five percent of elective CABG patients were complicated with PMI, as documented by TcPPi-SPECT with an infarcted mass of 38.0 +/- 5.5 g. No significant difference in demographic, preoperative right and left ventricular function, number of coronary vessels grafted, or aortic cross-clamp time was observed between the PMI and non-PMI groups. The distribution of patients using preoperative beta-adrenergic blocking drugs or calcium channel blocking drugs was found to have no correlation with the outcome of PMI. As well, no significant differences in hemodynamic changes or pharmacological requirements were observed in the PMI and non-PMI groups during prebypass or postbypass periods, indicating careful intraoperative control of hemodynamic indices did not prevent the outcome of PMI in these patients. However, the incidence of prebypass ischemia was 39.3% and significantly correlated with the outcome of positive TcPPi-SPECT, denoting a 3.9-fold increased risk of developing PMI. Prebypass ischemic changes in leads II and V5 were shown to correlate with increased CPK-MB release (P less than 0.05) and tends to occur more frequently with lateral myocardial infarction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)  (+info)

Comparison of technetium-99m pyrophosphate and technetium-99m DTPA aerosols for SPECT ventilation lung imaging. (20/60)

Although [99mTc] diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) is currently the most widely used radioaerosol, rapid alveolar clearance limits its usefulness for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) ventilation lung imaging. Previous research has shown that [99mTc]phosphate compounds have high alveolar deposition and slow clearance and thus provide suitable aerosols for pulmonary ventilation studies. We have compared the pulmonary retention and blood levels of [99mTc]pyrophosphate (PYP) and [99mTc]DTPA in eight normal nonsmoking male volunteers. These two radioaerosols have comparable pulmonary deposition. Technetium-99m PYP, however, has a much slower pulmonary clearance which allows sufficient time (20 or more minutes) for SPECT data acquisition using a single-headed rotating gamma camera. While the radiation absorbed dose to the lungs for [99mTc]PYP (0.31 rad/mCi) is greater than for [99mTc]DTPA (0.11 rad/mCi), it is at a clinically acceptable and safe level.  (+info)

Effect of vitamin D3 on imaging of experimental myocardial infarcts with technetium-99m pyrophosphate: further studies of the role of calcium. (21/60)

We previously found that a pulse dose of vitamin D3 increased [99mTc]PPi uptake by rat myocardial necrosis. Vitamin D3 raised serum and lesion [Ca] but not, we now report, lesion [Fe]. We now also report that D3 increased [99Tc]PPi uptake by myocardial infarcts (L) in dogs from 0.345 +/- 0.007% administered (kg) dose/g in controls to 0.703 +/- 0.089 in treated (p less than 0.025). Vitamin D3 decreased uptake by dog bone (B) as measured in rib and sternum, increasing L/B from 1.10 +/- 0.23 to 2.30 +/- 0.52 (p = 0.06) X (L) was positively, (p less than 0.005) and uptake by sternum was negatively (p less than 0.05) correlated with serum [Ca] and [P], respectively. Scintigrams graded by a "blinded" observer, showed 4+, 4+, and 3+ infarcts, respectively, in three D3-treated dogs, and 2+, 2+, and 1+, respectively, in three untreated. One untreated and one treated dog were negative; the latter showed the least response to D3 in serum [Ca] and [99mTc] in tissue samples. Vitamin D3 can increase L/B in dogs, enhancing scintigraphic images.  (+info)

Assessment of skin ulcer healing capability by technetium-99m phosphate angiogram and blood-pool images. (22/60)

The accuracy of radionuclide angiography and blood-pool imaging using [99mTc]-phosphate to assess skin ulcer perfusion as an indicator of healing capacity was determined in 50 studies performed on 45 patients with nonhealing ulcers of the lower extremities. Two nuclear medicine physicians without clinical bias, graded the perfusion of the ulcer on the images as normal, increased or reduced with respect to the opposite limb. Patients were followed closely with aggressive local wound care for at least 14 days. Of the 31 ulcers which healed, the radionuclide study correctly predicted 30; of the 19 ulcers which did not heal, 14 were correctly predicted. Eight patients had osteomyelitis; four of those healed and four did not. The radionuclide study predicted healing in seven. Excluding those patients with osteomyelitis, the sensitivity for the radionuclide angiogram and blood-pool image in predicting healing was 96%, specificity was 87%, and accuracy was 93%. This technique is a simple, reliable way to predict the microcirculatory adequacy for ulcer healing. Specificity is diminished in the presence of osteomyelitis.  (+info)

Joint scintigraphy using technetium-99m pyrophosphate in experimental hemarthrosis. (23/60)

To determine the validity of a method for induction of experimental hemarthrosis in dogs and for the nuclear imaging of hemarthrosis, serial technetium-99m pyrophosphate [( 99mTc]PYP) flow and blood-pool scans were performed monthly in eight dogs who received bi-weekly injections of autologous blood into their femoro-tibial joints (also called stifle joint). In four control dogs, one joint was injected with saline while the other joint received only a sham injection. In addition, two dogs received intra-articular injections of autologous blood into their right stifle joint and saline into their left stifle joint. These dogs were studied with 99mTcO4 joint scintigraphy at monthly intervals. The dogs were periodically taken out of the study and explored surgically. Pathologic examination of synovial tissue was performed. Serial radiographs were also obtained and correlated with the scan and surgical findings. There was a striking abnormal increase in blood-pool activity of [99mTc]PYP in the treated stifle joints, commencing at the first examination after 1 mo of blood injections and continuing for the length of the study. All radiographs showed only minimal joint space widening and some soft-tissue swelling. On pathologic examination, both grossly and microscopically, there was profuse pannus formation, with intense inflammatory infiltrate replacing much of the subsynovial fat. The scintigraphic findings correlated well with these pathologic findings. This study not only validates this method for simulating hemophilic hemarthrosis but also suggests that [99mTc]PYP joint scintigraphy is a simple, and noninvasive method for monitoring the early changes in hemophilic arthropathy and is superior to pertechnetate imaging for this disease process. Instead of the previously recommended delayed bone images, we recommend, in addition, flow studies to assess joint hypervascularity and immediate static images to visualize the synovium and joint capsule.  (+info)

Diagnosis and prognosis of right ventricular infarction. (24/60)

The values of several non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of right ventricular necrosis in inferior myocardial infarction were compared in 51 consecutive patients who underwent serial radionuclide ventriculography, pyrophosphate scintigraphy, and cross sectional echocardiography. In addition a unipolar electrocardiographic lead V4R was recorded on admission, daily, and during episodes of further pain. Profound right ventricular dysfunction was evident in 50% of patients studied by radionuclide methods after inferior myocardial infarction but recognition on clinical groups alone was poor. Functionally important right ventricular infarction was best detected and followed serially by radionuclide ventriculography. Echocardiographic methods for evaluating right ventricular ejection fraction correlated poorly with radionuclide methods. Increased uptake of radioactivity by the right ventricle on pyrophosphate scintigraphy usually indicated poor right ventricular function, but a scan that was negative in the right ventricular territory did not exclude dysfunction. ST segment elevation in V4R was not specific for right ventricular infarction and its routine use may lead to overdiagnosis of this condition. Serial measurements suggest that profound right ventricular dysfunction persists after acute inferior infarction and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Of 25 patients with severe right ventricular dysfunction, six died in the late hospital period. In the remaining 19 patients mean right ventricular ejection fraction over a two month period did not improve; six patients had persistent right ventricular dyskinesia and features of chronic right ventricular failure developed in three survivors.  (+info)