Bipolar radiofrequency ablation for re-entrant ventricular tachycardia of right bundle branch block and left bundle branch block morphologies with the common slow conduction zone at the left ventricular summit: a case report.

Background: The left ventricular (LV) summit has anatomical limitations, so the detailed mapping is difficult. Therefore, the mechanism of ventricular tachycardia (VT) originating from the LV summit is not well understood.

Case Summary: A 70-year-old man had VTs with right bundle branch block (VT1 and VT3) and left bundle branch block (VT2) morphologies originating from the left ventricular summit (LV summit).

Successful Application of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Ventricular Tachycardia Substrate in a Patient With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been gaining attention as a potential treatment for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT). Here, we describe a nonischemic patient with severe heart failure and VTs originating from the deep anteroseptal substrate that was refractory to standard and bipolar catheter ablations, and was successfully managed with SBRT. In conclusion, anteroseptal VTs resistant to catheter ablation in severe nonischemic heart failure might be an indication for cardiac SBRT as palliative therapy.

Dual countertraction for extraction of abandoned leads with severe lead-to-lead adhesion.

Note that firm adhesion between the atrial lead near the proximal electrode and the ventricular lead is present. Simultaneous application of countertraction from the femoral and jugular workstation, i.e.

A single premature stimulation from the para-Hisian region unmasked negative involvement of the left anterior fascicle in the verapamil-sensitive ventricular tachycardia with a right bundle branch block and right-axis deviation.

A 33-year-old man had verapamil-sensitive ventricular tachycardia (VT) with a right bundle branch block (RBBB) and right axis deviation. Programmed stimulation from the para-Hisian region induced ventricular tachycardias (VT1 or VT2). VT1 was entrained during pacing from the para-Hisian region.

Underestimation of the ejection fraction using the quantitative gated SPECT for patients with myocardial hypertrophy.

Background: The aim of the present study is to quantify the degree of the error as a function of the left ventricular (LV) wall thickness, in calculation of the ejection fraction (EF) using gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The essential error of quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) software in patients with myocardial hypertrophy has not been quantitatively estimated.

Methods: Forty-six patients with known or suspected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Discordance between the morphological and physiological information of 64-slice MSCT coronary angiography and myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with intermediate to high probability of coronary artery disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the morphological and physiological information of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and stress myocardial perfusion imaging (S-MPI) from the standpoint of risk stratification of patients with intermediate to high probability of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods And Results: In total, 51 patients underwent both CCTA and S-MPI as sequential examinations. In each patient, the severity of coronary plaque and stenosis (>50%) and the presence of myocardial perfusion abnormalities were assessed and the prognostic information from the CCTA and S-MPI results was compared.

Usefulness of 201TlCl/ 123I-BMIPP dual-myocardial SPECT for patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: Earlier studies suggested that elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) might be useful for detecting less severe types of myocardial injury (i.e., non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction).

Evaluation of no-reflow phenomenon using 201TlCl/123I-BMIPP dual-isotope myocardial SPECT.

Objectives: We assessed the usefulness of (201)thallous chloride (TlCl)/(123)I-beta-methyl iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) dual-isotope single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to identify the "no-reflow phenomenon," defined as inadequate myocardial perfusion through a given segment of the coronary circulation without angiographic evidence of mechanical vessel obstruction.

Methods: (201)TlCl/(123)I-BMIPP SPECT was performed in 73 patients within approximately 1 week of initial acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We divided the left ventricular myocardium into 17 segments on each SPECT image and scored tracer accumulation in each segment with a five-point scoring system according to the American Heart Association criteria.

Clinical applications of ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Erectrocardiogram (ECG)-gated myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can be used to assess myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function simultaneously. Various clinical applications of gated SPECT and their usefulness have been reported. The functional variables that can be determined with gated SPECT have been limited to systolic indices.

Assessment of contractile response to dobutamine stress by means of ECG-gated myocardial SPECT: comparison with myocardial perfusion and fatty acid metabolism.

Unlabelled: The present study assessed left ventricular performance during dobutamine stress measured using gated SPECT, and compared the results to myocardial perfusion and fatty acid metabolism.

Methods: Thirty-six patients with myocardial infarction given (99m)Tc-sestamibi or (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin were examined by gated SPECT at rest and during dobutamine stress (4-20 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)). After acquiring data at the highest dose, 201TlCl was injected and dual-isotope SPECT was performed to assess myocardial ischemia.

Prognostic value of I-123 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S) methylpentadecanoic acid myocardial imaging in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

Background: Although iodine 123 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R , S) methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) can assess abnormal utilization of fatty acid in the diseased myocardium, the prognostic value of BMIPP imaging at rest in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear.

Methods And Results: A total of 270 patients were included by a retrospective search of the existing databases of 4 institutions. In addition to hard events, consisting of cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction, any significant events including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, heart failure, and unstable angina were assessed.

Usefulness of gated myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging soon after exercise to identify postexercise stunning in patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease.

Background: This study determines the value of gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging soon after exercise to identify patients with single-vessel disease and exercise-induced prolonged myocardial dysfunction (ie, postischemic stunning).

Methods And Results: We examined 19 normal individuals and 52 patients with single-vessel disease by use of 2-day technetium 99m tetrofosmin exercise/rest gated SPECT imaging. Sequential imaging was started 10, 30, and 50 minutes after exercise.

[Practice and future aspects of nuclear cardiology].

The field of nuclear cardiology has demonstrated sustained growth in recent years owing to its increasingly recognized value for clinical applications and patient management. Computer advances in this field have allowed the technology of ECG-gated SPECT to become a routine part of nuclear cardiology. In our laboratory, myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function during stress (bicycle exercise or dobutamine infusion) were analyzed in a single examination by means of gated SPECT.

Three-dimensional display in staging hemodynamic brain ischemia for JET study: objective evaluation using SEE analysis and 3D-SSP display.

The Japanese EC-IC bypass trial (JET study) was established to evaluate the validity of MCA-STA anastomosis in intracranial arterial occlusive disease aiming at stroke prevention. This study must use an objective method to reliably estimate hemodynamic brain ischemia. We devised a method of objectively classifying the severity of hemodynamic ischemia using quantitatively analytical and display software, stereotactic extraction estimation for stereotactic brain coordinates and three-dimensional stereotactic surface projections (3D-SSP).

Assessment of left ventricular function using solid-state gamma camera equipped with a highly-sensitive collimator.

Purpose: The solid-state gamma camera 2020tc Imager (Digirad, CA) is now commercially available and has been clinically applied. The present study evaluates the feasibility of equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography (ERNV) within a 3 min period using this camera equipped with a highly sensitive collimator.

Materials And Methods: ERNV was performed from the best septal position (left anterior oblique view) in 20 patients with cardiac disease using a single detector anger-type gamma camera equipped with a low-energy, high-resolution collimator.

Development of quantitative analysis method for stereotactic brain image: assessment of reduced accumulation in extent and severity using anatomical segmentation.

Through visual assessment by three-dimensional (3D) brain image analysis methods using stereotactic brain coordinates system, such as three-dimensional stereotactic surface projections and statistical parametric mapping, it is difficult to quantitatively assess anatomical information and the range of extent of an abnormal region. In this study, we devised a method to quantitatively assess local abnormal findings by segmenting a brain map according to anatomical structure. Through quantitative local abnormality assessment using this method, we studied the characteristics of distribution of reduced blood flow in cases with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT).

[Cardiac pool scintigraphy using the solid-state Digirad 2020tc Imager--comparison with the conventional anger-type gamma camera using moving cardiac phantom].

Unlabelled: Movable gamma camera, 2020tc Imager, was light miniaturized using Si photodiode as a semiconductor sensor instead of photomultiplier tubes. To validate performance of this new camera in cardiac pool scintigraphy, multigated equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography using the moving cardiac phantom was performed with 2020tc Imager and a conventional Agner-type gamma camera (PRISM 3000).

Method: Both measured cardiac functional values were compared with the set-up ones for the phantom.

[Assessment of biventricular function using gated blood pool SPECT with QBS software: comparison with planar radionuclide ventriculography].

Unlabelled: Quantitative blood pool SPECT (QBS) is a new application for the quantitative assessment of biventricular function from gated blood pool SPECT (TMUGA). In this study, we compared biventricular function between planar radionuclide ventriculography and TMUGA. The reproducibility of measuring biventricular ejection fraction with QBS was also evaluated.

Serial assessment of left ventricular performance at rest and during bicycle exercise by ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Unlabelled: The present study evaluates left ventricular performance during exercise by ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT with short-time data collection.

Methods: The study population consisted of 10 healthy volunteers (Group N) and 9 patients with ischemic heart disease (Group I). Seven patients in Group I had a history of prior myocardial infarction.

Assessment of myocardial washout of Tc-99m-sestamibi in patients with chronic heart failure: comparison with normal control.

Background: In contrast to 201TlCl, 99mTc-sestamibi shows very slow myocardial clearance after its initial myocardial uptake. In the present study, myocardial washout of 99mTc-sestamibi was calculated in patients with non-ischemic chronic heart failure (CHF) and compared with biventricular parameters obtained from first-pass and ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT data.

Methods And Results: After administration of 99mTc-sestamibi, 25 patients with CHF and 8 normal controls (NC) were examined by ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and planar data acquisition in the early and delayed (interval of 3 hours) phase.