Prognostic value of combined perfusion and function by stress technetium-99m sestamibi gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease.

The incremental prognostic value of combined regional wall motion and perfusion over perfusion alone by gated single-photon emission computed tomographic myocardial perfusion scintigraphy has not been evaluated. Of the 402 consecutive patients who underwent stress single-photon emission computed tomographic myocardial perfusion scintigraphy for suspected myocardial ischemia, we identified 333 patients (217 men, mean age 63 +/- 10 years; exercise in 249 and dipyridamole adminstered to 84). Visual scoring of perfusion images and regional wall motion used 20 segments and a scale of 0 to 4.

Can the reversible regional wall motion abnormalities on stress gated Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT predict a future cardiac event?

Background: Myocardial stunning has recently been demonstrated by use of stress gated technetium 99m sestamibi single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. However, its prognostic value is less well determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of reversible regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs).

Mitral effective regurgitant orifice area versus left ventricular ejection fraction as prognostic indicators in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Background: This study aimed at investigating the relative powers of the quantitative evaluation of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) and ejection fraction (EF) in predicting the clinical changes and prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with severe systolic dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 81 patients with DCM, EF < 0.40 and at least mild FMR were prospectively evaluated during a mean follow-up of 24 +/- 7 months.

[Quantitative evaluation of functional mitral insufficiency in dilated cardiomyopathy: morphological and functional correlations].

Background: Angiography and echo-color Doppler imaging are routinely used for the semiquantitative grading of functional mitral regurgitation (MR) in dilated cardiomyopathy. However, in case of severe regurgitation the results obtained using these two methods are discrepant. We propose quantitative echocardiographic evaluation and the related morphological parameters of remodeling of the ventricular and mitral apparatuses for the estimate of severe regurgitation.

The spectrum of pericardial effusion in acute myocardial infarction: an echocardiographic study.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of pericardial effusion in acute myocardial infarction and the different prognosis associated with distinct patterns of pericardial effusion (anechoic/hypoechoic vs hyperechoic effusion).

Methods: Five hundred eighty-five consecutive patients admitted to the Coronary Care Unit for acute myocardial infarction were initially considered. Forty of them were excluded due to a technically poor acoustic window.