Gender differences in outcome in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiac death (CD). The major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) between men and women in diabetic patients stratified by CAD (previous MI and/or coronary revascularization, CR) were analyzed.

Methods And Results: A cohort of 1327 consecutive diabetic patients (age 66.

Cost-effectiveness of myocardial perfusion SPECT and stress test according to coronary revascularization therapy, cardiac events and total mortality: Register of 8,496 patients.

Objective: The aim was to analyze the cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) of stress electrocardiogram (ES) and stress myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI) according to coronary revascularization (CR) therapy, cardiac events (CE) and total mortality (TM).

Material And Methods: A total of 8,496 consecutive patients who underwent SPECT-MPI were followed-up (mean 5.3±3.

A novel clinical risk prediction model for myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and cardiac death according to clinical, exercise, and gated SPECT variables (VH-RS).

Aims: To create a risk score for cardiac events (CE) according to clinical, exercise, and gated SPECT variables.

Methods And Results: We analysed 5707 consecutive patients; 3181 patients (age 64.2 ± 11 years, male 59.

Reduction of Left Ventricular Dilation Beyond the First Year After Anterior Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Reduction of left ventricular (LV) dilation (RD) beyond the first year after ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unknown. We investigated its potential occurrence in comparison with stationary (SD) and progressive (PD) dilation.

Methods And Results: Perfusion gated SPECT features at 1 and 3 years were evaluated in 168 3-year survivors of a first anterior STEMI.

Diagnostic performance of the quantification of myocardium at risk from MPI SPECT/CTA 2G fusion for detecting obstructive coronary disease: A multicenter trial.

Background: The effective non-invasive identification of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its proper referral for invasive treatment are still unresolved issues. We evaluated our quantification of myocardium at risk (MAR) from our second generation 3D MPI/CTA fusion framework for the detection and localization of obstructive coronary disease.

Methods: Studies from 48 patients who had rest/stress MPI, CTA, and ICA were analyzed from 3 different institutions.

Mechanical dyssynchrony according to validated cut-off values using gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: The aim of this study was to establish different degrees of mechanical dyssynchrony according to validated cut-off (CO) values of myocardial perfusion gated SPECT phase analysis parameters (SD, standard deviation; B, bandwidth; S, skewness; K, kurtosis).

Methods: Using Emory Cardiac Toolbox™, we prospectively analyzed 408 patients (mean age 64.1 years, 26.

Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels are poorly related to the occurrence of ischemia or ventricular arrhythmias during symptom-limited exercise in low-risk patients.

Introduction: The usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a marker of ischemia is controversial. BNP levels have predicted arrhythmias in various settings, but it is unknown whether they are related to exercise-induced ischemic ventricular arrhythmias.

Material And Methods: We analyzed in 63 patients (64 ±14 years, 65% male, 62% with known coronary disease) undergoing exercise stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) the association between plasma BNP values (before and 15 min after exercise) and the occurrence of ischemia or ventricular arrhythmias during the test.

Cut-off values of myocardial perfusion gated-SPECT phase analysis parameters of normal subjects, and conduction and mechanical cardiac diseases.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the cut-off values of gated myocardial perfusion rest SPECT phase analysis parameters of normal subjects, and conduction (CCD) and mechanical cardiac diseases (MCD).

Methods: We prospectively analyzed 455 patients by means of phase analysis using SyncTool™ (Emory Cardiac Toolbox™). Of these, 150 corresponded to the control group (group 1, normal subjects) and 305 corresponded to patients with cardiac diseases (group 2, 63 with only CCD, 121 with only MCD, and 121 with CCD plus MCD).

[SPECT, coronary angio-CT, invasive coronary angiography and fusion images in stable coronary disease].

Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of the information obtained with SPECT, coronary angio-CT and fusion images, in patients with stable ischemic disease who need invasive coronary angiography (IA).

Material And Methods: Forty-six patients (65.98±8.

[Obtaining a formula that improves maximum oxygen consumption estimation in cycle ergometer exercise tests].

Objectives: To evaluate if the estimation of the maximal oxygen consumption (MO2C) in METs (metabolic equivalents) by means of the table proposed in the guidelines of the Spanish Society of Cardiology is a sufficiently reliable method when applied to the bicycle exercise test.

Material And Methods: The MO2C in METs was obtained by gas-exchange analysis on bicycle ergometer tests in 97 healthy subjects (group i). It was compared with the estimate of METs using the table in which only watts and patient's weight were included.

Normal Myocardial Perfusion Gated SPECT and Positive Stress Test: Different Prognoses in Women and Men.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze different prognoses in women and men with normal myocardial perfusion gated SPECT, according to stress test results.

Methods: Differences between women and men in terms of hard events (HE) (non-fatal acute myocardial infarction or cardiac death) and HE plus coronary revascularization (HE + CR) were analyzed in 2,414 consecutive patients (mean age 62.8 ± 13.

[Acute stent thrombosis and reverse transient left ventricular dilatation after performing a single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion].

A 63-year-old male patient with a history of stent implantation in the left anterior descending three months before. Due to the presentation of vegetative symptoms, he was referred for gated-SPECT myocardial perfusion. During acquisition of the resting images he presented chest pain and ST segment elevation, so that urgent cardiac catheterization was performed, showing stent thrombosis.

Warranty periods for normal myocardial perfusion stress SPECT.

Background: To assess different warranty periods following a normal myocardial perfusion SPECT based on patients' clinical characteristics and the type of stress performed.

Methods And Results: A study was done of 2,922 consecutive patients (62.9 ± 13 years; 53.

Update on cardiac imaging techniques 2013.

Cardiac imaging is a cornerstone of diagnosis in heart conditions, and an essential tool for assessing prognosis and establishing treatment decisions. This year, echocardiography stands out as a guide in interventional procedures and in choosing the size of the prosthesis. It is also proving to be a valuable technique in low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis.

Update on cardiac imaging techniques 2012.

Cardiac imaging is one of the basic pillars of modern cardiology. The potential list of scenarios where cardiac imaging techniques can provide relevant information is simply endless so it is impossible to include all relevant new features of cardiac imaging published in the literature in 2012 in the limited format of a single article. We summarize the year's most relevant news on cardiac imaging, highlighting the ongoing development of myocardial deformation and 3-dimensional echocardiography techniques and the increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in daily clinical practice.

Distension of the ischemic region predicts increased ventricular fibrillation inducibility following coronary occlusion in swine.

Introduction And Objectives: Distension of the ischemic region has been related to an increased incidence of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias following coronary occlusion. This study analyzed whether regional ischemic distension predicts increased ventricular fibrillation inducibility after coronary occlusion in swine.

Methods: In 18 anesthetized, open-chest pigs, the left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated for 60 min.

Gated-SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging as a complementary technique to magnetic resonance imaging in chronic myocardial infarction patients.

Introduction And Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare magnetic resonance and gated-SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with chronic myocardial infarction.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging and gated-SPECT were performed in 104 patients (mean age, 61 [12] years; 87.5% male) with a previous infarction.

[Variables that influence the indication of a second myocardial perfusion gated-SPECT after a normal stress-rest gated SPECT].

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate predictor variables at the moment of normal stress-rest myocardial perfusion gated SPECT for indication of a second gated SPECT.

Material And Methods: A prospective, single center cohort study was conducted. We evaluated 2326 consecutive patients (age 63.

Long-term follow-up assessment after the arterial switch operation for correction of dextro-transposition of the great arteries by means of exercise myocardial perfusion-gated SPECT.

The arterial switch operation (ASO) is the preferred technique for correcting transposition of the great arteries, but translocation and reimplantation of the coronary arteries can produce myocardial ischemia. This report aims to describe the authors' experience with exercise single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) used to evaluate myocardial perfusion. Exercise-rest gated-myocardial perfusion SPECT was performed for 69 patients (49 boys; median age, 9 years; 5th percentile [6.

Acute myocardial infarction: estimation of at-risk and salvaged myocardium at myocardial perfusion SPECT 1 month after infarction.

Purpose: To estimate at-risk and salvaged myocardium by using gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the hospital's Ethical Committee on Clinical Trials (trial register number, PR(HG)36/2000), and all patients gave informed consent. Forty patients (mean age, 61.

Usefulness of exercise test and myocardial perfusion-gated single photon emission computed tomography to improve the prediction of major events.

Background: The incremental prognostic value of myocardial perfusion-gated single photon emission computed tomography (MPGS) compared with exercise test has not yet been properly evaluated.

Methods And Results: Five thousand six hundred seventy-two consecutive patients with known or suspected coronary disease undergoing exercise MPGS between 1997 and 2007 were included. Three-year predictive models for total death and death from cardiovascular causes or acute myocardial infarction (ie, major cardiovascular events [MCE]) were built using Cox-regression modeling, including only the clinical information.