Renal dysfunction indicative of outcomes in hospitalized patients with takotsubo syndrome.

Background:: Left ventricular dysfunction as part of takotsubo syndrome is reversible, and the long-term prognosis appears favorable. However, life-threatening complications are not uncommon during the acute phase, and it remains unclear whether renal dysfunction is a factor in complications suffered by hospitalized patients with takotsubo syndrome. The present study was conducted to investigate the implications of renal dysfunction in this setting.

Short cardiac iodine-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging protocol in heart failure.

Background: For assessment of cardiac sympathetic nervous activity, the conventional protocol for iodine-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-MIBG) imaging requires several hours.

Methods And Results: To establish whether it is possible to shorten the conventional (123)I-MIBG imaging protocol, anterior planar imaging was performed in 42 heart failure (HF) patients at 5, 15 and 180 min. The washout rate of (123)I-MIBG from 5 to 15 min (WR5-15 min) was calculated as a novel index.

Electroanatomical mapping in partial atrial standstill for visualization of atrial viability and a suitable pacing site.

Partial atrial standstill is characterized by the failure of atrial activity either spontaneously or in response to electrical stimulation in restricted site of atria. In this case with bradycardia, atrial standstill was restricted to the lateral and posterior right atrium. The markedly prolonged intraatrial conduction delay was observed in the superior to septal region of the right atrium.

Lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum with cutaneous lipomatosis.

A mass was identified in the atrial septum by clinical imaging in a patient who had multiple large lipomas of the skin. Multislice computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging indicated that the interatrial mass was a fatty infiltration. In order to discriminate the myocardial lesion from myxoma and other benign conditions and malignant tumors, percutaneous transvenous biopsy was performed.

Iodine-123-BMIPP imaging in unstable angina: a guide for interventional strategy.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical implications of decreased myocardial uptakes of 123I-labeled beta-methyl-p-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) in patients with unstable angina.

Methods: Fatty acid metabolic imaging with 123I-BMIPP was performed in 20 patients with unstable angina during the pain-free state. Regional uptakes of 123I-BMIPP were scored semiquantitatively, and clinical characteristics and angiographic findings were compared between the patients with the normal and abnormal 123I-BMIPP images.