Correlation of MRI-Evaluated Degenerative Disc Disease with Positivity on Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Imaging in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Objective: Chronic low back pain, affecting up to 58% of the population, often stems from intervertebral disc degeneration. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used for diagnostics, challenges arise in pinpointing pain sources due to frequent asymptomatic findings. Single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) integrated with computed tomography (CT) offers a promising approach, enhancing sensitivity and specificity.

Aneurysmal 99m Tc-HMPAO Uptake in Brain Death.

A 41-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to sudden loss of consciousness. A regional brain perfusion SPECT/low-dose CT showed abnormal 99m Tc-HMPAO uptake in the right hemisphere frontotemporally without any other supratentorial or infratentorial radiotracer uptake. A neuropathological examination disclosed a middle cerebral artery aneurysm.

Spinal fusion for single-level SPECT/CT positive lumbar degenerative disc disease: the SPINUS I study.

Introduction And Purpose: With current imaging modalities and diagnostic tests, identifying pain generators in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP) is difficult. There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of SPECT/CT examination in diagnosing the source of pain in the spine. The study aims to investigate the effect of posterior interbody fusion on a single-level SPECT/CT positive lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD).

Effects of Spinal Cord Stimulation on Cardiac Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Patients with Heart Failure.

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) reduces sympathetic activity in animal models of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF) but limited data exist of SCS in patients with HF. The aim of the present study was to test the primary hypothesis that SCS reduces cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in HF patients. Secondary hypotheses were that SCS improves left ventricular function and dimension, exercise capacity, and clinical variables relevant to HF.

Assessment of left ventricular diastolic function by radionuclide ventriculography in patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Study Objective: To compare parameters of diastolic function as assessed by radionuclide ventriculography (RNVG) and Doppler echocardiography (ECHO) in the patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HF REF).

Patients And Methods: RNVG and ECHO were performed on the same day in 40 patients with systolic chronic HF, NYHA II and III, with LV EF < 50 % and sinus rhythm, followed at tertiary HF clinic. Diastolic function was assessed by RNVG using parameters: PFR (peak filling rate [% SV/sec]), TFR - time to peak filling rate (ms), and by ECHO using pulse Doppler parameters: the peak Doppler velocities of early (E) and late diastolic flow (A), the E/A ratio, the calculated mean of the early (E´) diastolic velocity of septal and lateral mitral annulus measured by tissue Doppler imaging, and the E/E´ ratio.

Pulse wave as an alternate signal for data synchronization during gated myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging.

Purpose: Proper identification of the cardiac cycle is essential for gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. We have developed an alternate method of ECG for gating, that is, using the peripheral pulse wave (PW) as the triggering signal for gated SPECT acquisition. The aim of this study is to compare the use of this method of gating with the standard ECG trigger.

99mTc-besilesomab (Scintimun) in peripheral osteomyelitis: comparison with 99mTc-labelled white blood cells.

Purpose: The diagnosis of osteomyelitis is a challenge for diagnostic imaging. Nuclear medicine procedures including white blood cell imaging have been successfully used for the identification of bone infections. This multinational, phase III clinical study in 22 European centres was undertaken to compare anti-granulocyte imaging using the murine IgG antibody besilesomab (Scintimun) with (99m)Tc-labelled white blood cells in patients with peripheral osteomyelitis.

Predictors of improvement of unrepaired moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation in patients undergoing elective isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: The persistence of moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) after isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery is an important independent predictor of long-term mortality. The aim of the present study was to identify predictors of postoperative improvement in moderate IMR in patients with ischemic heart disease undergoing elective isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Methods And Results: The study population consisted of 135 patients with ischemic heart disease (age, 65+/-9 years; 81% male) and moderate IMR undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Severe left ventricular dyssynchrony is associated with poor prognosis in patients with moderate systolic heart failure undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between the presence of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony and clinical outcome in patients with moderate systolic heart failure undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Background: The presence of LV dyssynchrony is associated with poor prognosis in patients with LV dysfunction.

Methods: The study consisted of 215 consecutive patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and dyspnea (age 65 +/- 9 years, 81% male) undergoing CABG.

Myocardial positive pre-ejection velocity accurately detects presence of viable myocardium, predicts recovery of left ventricular function and bears a prognostic value after surgical revascularization.

Aims: To assess the accuracy of tissue Doppler imaging-derived myocardial positive pre-ejection velocity (+Vic) in detecting myocardial viability defined by dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET), and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and in predicting recovery of left ventricular (LV) function after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with chronic ischaemic LV dysfunction.

Methods And Results: +Vic in dysfunctional segments was recorded in 54 patients treated medically and 65 patients undergoing CABG [age 67 +/- 9 year; LV ejection fraction (EF) 30 +/- 6%]. A good agreement was observed between +Vic and detection of viable myocardium at DSE, PET, and MRI (kappa = 0.

Increase in utilization of myocardial perfusion imaging in the Czech Republic: activity and practice of nuclear cardiology, 2003.

Background: The second survey of nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic was conducted to ascertain whether the activity had increased since the first survey in 2001; we also intended to identify new trends in clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: All 46 departments of nuclear medicine in the Czech Republic completed a questionnaire concerning nuclear cardiology activity in 2002-2003 and current clinical and technical practices.

Results: There were 66 SPET cameras in 2003 in comparison with 54 SPET cameras in 2001.

Activity and practice of nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic, 2001.

Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has been on the rise in Europe and the USA. Details on nuclear cardiology in the Czech Republic are not available as yet, as it is impossible to obtain comprehensive data from official registers owing to different methods of reporting and data evaluation. A questionnaire concerning nuclear cardiology activity and practice in 2001 was sent to all nuclear medicine departments in the Czech Republic.

Increased prognostic value of combined myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging and the quantification of lung Tl-201 uptake.

Purpose: The authors wanted to identify those patients assessed by exercise SPECT in whom the quantification of lung Tl-201 uptake helps to evaluate disease prognosis.

Methods: One hundred forty-nine patients (114 men, 35 women; 74 after myocardial infarction [MI]; mean age, 54 +/- 9 years) underwent exercise Tl-201 SPECT. The SPECT patterns were divided into normal (n = 45), fixed defects (n = 29), and inducible ischemia (n = 75).