Comparison of supine versus prone tomographic myocardial imaging. Effect on false-positive rate.

As in most other nuclear medicine facilities, tomographic myocardial imaging was started here with the patients in the supine position. However, previous planar imaging experience indicated a high number of false-positive results using the supine position for left lateral views of the myocardium. Evaluating the accuracy of supine position SPECT imaging was considered necessary.

A tumor of the lung featuring increased pulmonary arterial perfusion.

An area of relatively increased tracer activity on a perfusion lung scan was found in the same location as a radiodense lung mass. The lesion responsible for this unusual combination of findings was identified after lobectomy and tissue examination to be poorly differentiated adenosquamous carcinoma.

Intrahepatic gallbladder.

Intrahepatic gallbladder must be distinguished from other lesions which also produce an area of decreased tracer concentration on liver scan. Identification is imperative because it determines therapy. A scan performed with rose bengal labeled with iodine 131 was used in this case.

Radionuclide cerebral angiography and the timing of aneurysm surgery.

Forty-five patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to verified intracranial aneurysms were studied prospectively to determine whether delaying operations in those patients with abnormal cerebral perfusion, assessed by radionuclide dynamic scanning, would lower case management mortality. Twenty-nine patients had intracranial operations when their radionuclide dynamic scans demonstrated normal perfusion. The one death in this group occurred in a patient who suffered a massive hemorrhage during operation as the bone flap was elevated.

Cerebral perfusion, vascular spasm, and outcome in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

In a retrospective study of 44 patients with verified ruptured intracranial aneurysms, the results of radionuclide cerebral perfusion scintigraphy (dynamic brain scanning) and the presence or absence of arteriographic spasm were correlated with the clinical outcome. The data indicated that patients with normal dynamic scans had a better outcome as a group and following intracranial surgery than those in whom perfusion was reduced. Patients with normal perfusion had a higher incidence of preoperative rebleeding from their aneurysms, while patients with reduced perfusion had a higher incidence of infarction, especially after intracranial surgery.

Evaluation of radioactive potassium and its analogues for imaging myocardial infarcts.

An extensive clinical evaluation was undertaken to assess the value of myocardial infarct imaging with radioactive potassium and analogues. Of 130 patients so examined, 80 were diagnosed as having suffered infarcts in the recent or distant past on the basis of all information other than the scan. The radionuclide imaging results were abnormal in 87.

A test for evaluation of peritoneo-venous shunt function: concise communication.

A simple imaging procedure has been devised for patients with peritoneovenous shunts when ascites reaccumulates and a decision must be made on whether or not to revise the shunt. A dose of 99mTc-sulfur colloid is injected into the peritoneal cavity and imaging of the abdomen and chest is performed 30 and 60 min later. After checking for tracer distribution throughout the peritoneal cavity, one looks for radioactivity in the liver and spleen and in the anterior chest tube.