Diagnostic performance of F-FDG PET-CT for large vessel involvement assessment in patients with suspected giant cell arteritis and negative temporal artery biopsy.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to assess the diagnostic performance of F-FDG PET-CT for large vessel involvement in patients with suspected giant cells arteritis (GCA) and a negative temporal artery biopsy (TAB).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a cohort of patients with suspected GCA and negative TAB who underwent an F-FDG PET-CT. Ten vascular segments were studied using a visual score and a semi-quantitative method based on SUVmax ratio with respect to liver uptake.

Exploration of cardiac sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity in narcolepsy.

Objective: To compare cardiac sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity in patients with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) and controls using I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy, and to determine the clinical and neurophysiological variables associated with I-MIBG scintigraphy results in NT1.

Methods: Fifty-six NT1 patients and 91 controls without neurological diseases underwent a cardiac scintigraphy. MIBG uptake was quantified by delayed heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio.

Cardiac Sympathetic Activity differentiates Idiopathic and Symptomatic Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder.

The pathophysiology of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) associated with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is still poorly understood, potentially distinct from idiopathic RBD (iRBD), but may share affected common pathways. We investigated whether MIBG cardiac uptake differs between iRBD and NT1 comorbid with RBD. Thirty-four patients with NT1-RBD and 15 patients with iRBD underwent MIBG cardiac scintigraphy.

Area at risk can be assessed by iodine-123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine single-photon emission computed tomography after myocardial infarction: a prospective study.

Background: Myocardial salvage is an important surrogate endpoint to estimate the impact of treatments in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between cardiac sympathetic denervation area assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using iodine-123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (I-MIBG) and myocardial area at risk (AAR) assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) (gold standard).

Patients And Methods: A total of 35 postprimary reperfusion STEMI patients were enrolled prospectively to undergo SPECT using I-MIBG (evaluates cardiac sympathetic denervation) and thallium-201 (evaluates myocardial necrosis), and to undergo CMR imaging using T2-weighted spin-echo turbo inversion recovery for AAR and postgadolinium T1-weighted phase sensitive inversion recovery for scar assessment.

Optimization of a simultaneous dual-isotope Tl/I-MIBG myocardial SPECT imaging protocol with a CZT camera for trigger zone assessment after myocardial infarction for routine clinical settings: Are delayed acquisition and scatter correction necessary?

Background: Dual-isotope Tl/I-MIBG SPECT can assess trigger zones (dysfunctions in the autonomic nervous system located in areas of viable myocardium) that are substrate for ventricular arrhythmias after STEMI. This study evaluated the necessity of delayed acquisition and scatter correction for dual-isotope Tl/I-MIBG SPECT studies with a CZT camera to identify trigger zones after revascularization in patients with STEMI in routine clinical settings.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients were prospectively enrolled after revascularization to undergo Tl/I-MIBG SPECT using a CZT camera (Discovery NM 530c, GE).

Is computed tomography attenuation correction more efficient than gated single photon emission computed tomography analysis in improving the diagnostic performance of myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with low prevalence of ischemic heart disease?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare computed tomography (CT)-based attenuation correction (AC) using a hybrid single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)-CT system and quantitative analysis of wall thickening using gated SPECT with regard to the diagnostic accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively included 70 patients with low prevalence of acute coronary artery disease who underwent a myocardial stress-rest SPECT study. Interpretation was based on supine nongated SPECT data with (AC) or without (NC) CT-based attenuation correction, and on gated SPECT data without attenuation correction (GNC).

Should HIV-infected patients be screened for silent myocardial ischaemia using gated myocardial perfusion SPECT?

Purpose: A higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) in HIV-infected patients, together with chronic infection and treatments, has resulted in an increased risk of silent myocardial ischaemia (SMI). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether myocardial SPECT should be used for screening HIV-infected patients with no clinical symptoms of coronary artery disease.

Methods: The prevalence of SMI detected by myocardial SPECT was determined in 94 HIV-infected patients with a normal clinical cardiovascular examination in relation to anthropomorphic parameters, CRFs, inflammatory and HIV infection status, and treatment.