Single-day combined evaluation of regional myocardial perfusion and function at rest and peak exercise with99mTc-MIBI in patients with coronary artery disease

^99mTc-labeled methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (MIBI) allows a simultaneous radionuclide assessment of regional heart function and perfusion. In this study the effectiveness of functional and perfusional images obtained with^99mTc-MIBI in the detection of coronary stenoses was compared with that of their combination.We studied 197 patients who underwent coronary angiography and a single-day radionuclide protocol including first pass angiography (multicrystal gamma camera) and single photon emission computed tomography, by means of 2 injections of^99mTc-MIBI at rest and at peak exercise. Fifteen patients had < 50% stenoses, 50 had 1-vessel, 69 2-vessel and 63 3-vessel disease, for a total of 377 pathological major coronary vessels; 129 patients had previous myocardial infarction. Functional images, perfusional tomograms and their combination showed the same sensitivity (98%) and specificity (80%) in detecting coronary patients. Regional sensitivity and specificity of the combined analysis achieved 87% and 82%, respectively, vs. 94% (p <0.005) and 60% (p <0.001) of functional images, and 88% (p=N.S.) and 74% (p <0.05) of perfusional tomograms.Thus, the combined analysis of regional functional and perfusional abnormalities increased significantly the specificity in the detection of coronary stenoses, in comparison with the separate evaluation of function and perfusion, achieving also a slightly higher diagnostic accuracy (85%, vs. 81% and 83%, respectively). The results confirm that a single-day protocol simultaneously assessing regional myocardial function and perfusion with^99mTc-MIBI represents a rapid and effective diagnostic method, that allows the physician to assess the presence and functional importance of coronary stenoses in less than 4 hours. Prof. Reale passed away January 5, 1991 Presented in part at the First Biennial Symposium of the European Working Group on Nuclear Cardiology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, March 22–23,1991.     

Clinical relevance of chest pain during dobutamine stress echocardiography in women.

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is commonly used for diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Chest pain occurring during DSE potentially provides additional diagnostic accuracy. Our experience suggests that chest pain occurs frequently in women undergoing DSE. HYPOTHESIS: It was the purpose of this study to determine the frequency with which chest pain occurs in women undergoing DSE and the relation to inducible ischemia or coronary artery stenosis. METHODS: To determine the prevalence and clinical significance or chest pain during DSE, we reviewed the records of 154 consecutive women undergoing DSE in our laboratory. Of these, 59 patients (37.5%) also underwent coronary angiography. The presence or absence of chest pain was correlated with ECG changes, left ventricular wall motion abnormalities during DSE, and coronary stenosis by angiography. RESULTS: Forty-one women (26%) developed chest pain during DSE. Patients experiencing chest pain were older (58.5 +/- 9.3 vs. 54.9 +/- 12.6; p = 0.05), and had lower resting heart rates (71 +/- 12.2 vs. 77.9 +/- 14.9; p = 0.008), but received similar maximum doses of dobutamine and reached comparable peak heart rates (131.1 +/- 17.4 vs. 133.5 +/- 21.7; p = NS). Patients with chest pain more commonly exhibited ST-segment depression > or = 1 mm during dobutamine infusion (13/41, 32%, vs. 17/113, 15%; p = 0.02), but chest pain showed no statistically significant correlation with abnormal DSE or with coronary stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: In women undergoing DSE, chest pain occurs in 26% and does not appear to be related to inducible myocardial ischemia. Electrocardiographic changes occur more frequently in patients who experience chest pain, but are also often unrelated to inducible myocardial ischemia.     

16排CT在评价胸痛患者冠状动脉病变中的应用价值

目的：探讨16排计算机断层扫描技术(CT)在评价胸痛疑似冠心病患者冠状动脉病变中的应用价值。方法：52例胸痛疑似冠心病患者人选,分别用16排CT造影方法(CTA)和常规冠状动脉造影方法(CAG)评价冠状动脉病变情况,并以CAG为标准计算CTA诊断冠状动脉病变的敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值(PPV)和阴性预测值(NPV)。结果：CTA能评价所有627个冠状动脉节段中的546个(87%)。在该546个冠状动脉节段中,CTA诊断冠状动脉病变的敏感度、特异度、PPV和NPV分别是94%、95%、82%和99%;CTA对冠状动脉左主干及其近中段病变的敏感度、特异度、PPV和NPV均高于冠状动脉远段和分支血管。结论：CTA能较准确地评价胸痛疑似冠心病患者冠状动脉(尤其是近、中段)的病变情况。     

冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影在冠状动脉疾病的临床应用

冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影是诊断冠状动脉疾病的一个优秀无创评价测试工具。虽然冠状动脉造影是冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病的金标准,但有充分的证据来支持冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影的性价比,而且它的临床应用范围广。本次综述的目的是对冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影在冠状动脉疾病临床应用中的诊断准确性和预测价值的概述;对冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影的新兴领域,包括双源计算机体层成像、多排螺旋计算机体层成像进行讨论,以及冠状动脉计算机体层成像血管造影的局限性和突出展示其未来的发展方向。     

Feasibility and accuracy of coronary imaging in elderly patients using the 64-row multi-detector computed tomography: a correlation study with conventional coronary angiography

Background Elderly patients generally have higher occurrence of coronary calcification, increased heart rate and difficulty with prolonged breath-holding. The aim of our study was to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of using 64-row multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) in the assessment of coronary artery stenoses in elderly patients. Methods One hundred and fifty two patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease were divided into 4 groups according to their age (Group A: 40-49 years, n=34; Group B: 50-59 years, n=57; Group C: 60-69 years, n=48; Group D: 70 years and above; n=13). Coronary CT angiography (CTA) using a 64-row MDCT was performed and the findings were compared with that of conventional coronary angiography (CCA). Using axial images, multi-planar reconstructions (MPR) and maximum intensity projections (MIP), coronary segments of lumen diameter = 1.5mm were analyzed for the presence of significant stenosis (= 50% ). Results Percentages of poor image quality from coronary CTA preventing reliable correlations with CCA were 21%, 14%, 19% and 62% in Groups A to D respectively. Patients in Group D had significantly higher calcium scores compared with the other groups (P<0.001). In patients where CTA images were of acceptable quality, percentages of accurate correlations with CCA were 89.8%, 93.4%, 86.6% and 78.0% for Groups A to D respectively. There were no significant difference in serum creatinine, heart rate and contrast volume between the 4 groups. Conclusions The 64-row MDCT coronary angiography was less accurate and feasible for patients aged 70 years or above due to heavy coronary calcification and inability to perform a satisfactory breath-hold. However, a high diagnostic accuracy with the MDCT is possible in patients aged less than 70 years.(J Geriatric Cardiol 2006;3(1):9-14)     

Evaluation of left atrial function in patients with coronary artery disease by two-dimensional strain and strain rate imaging

Background: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease is shown by strain and strain rate imaging. However, left atrium (LA) function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been assessed by this method. Methods and Results: In 34 CAD patients, including 17 patients with enlarged LA (LA diameter ≤ 4.0 cm) and 17 with normal‐size LA (LA diameter ≤ 4.0 cm), two‐dimensional strain echocardiographic imaging (2DSE) was performed. Twenty healthy subjects as a control group were included. Both conventional parameters and strain parameters, such as LA peak systolic strain (LAs S/SR), preatrial contraction strain (LAa S), peak systolic (LAs SR), early diastolic strain rate (LAe SR) and late diastolic strain rate (LAa SR), were measured. Conventional parameters were abnormal in CAD patients with enlarged LA (ELA), but there were no significant differences between CAD with normal‐size left atrium (NLA) and control groups. LAs S/SR and LAe SR were lower in patients than in normal controls, and were even lower in CAD‐ELA group (P < 0.05). LAa S/SR were lower in CAD patients with ELA (P < 0.05), but without a significant difference between CAD‐NLA and control groups. A significant correlation was observed between LAs S/SR and LA emptying fraction (r = 0.85, P < 0.05; r = 0.72, P < 0.05, respectively). LAa S/SR related well to LA ejection fraction (r = 0.68, P < 0.05; r = 0.61, P < 0.05, respectively). LAs SR was most accurate in identifying both CAD patients with NLA from controls and CAD patients from controls (area under the curve: 0.91; 0.95, respectively). Conclusions: LA diastolic dysfunction occurs prior to LA systolic dysfunction in CAD patients, and LAs SR is the most accurate index in identifying patients with CAD. (Echocardiography 2011;28:1095‐1103)     

Transmural myocardial strain gradient: a new and robust quantitative index of left ventricular wall motion based on myocardial strain imaging

Background: Peak strain has been promising as an index of wall motion but it is sometimes susceptible to the image quality. Objective: We investigated the feasibility of a novel index, transmural myocardial strain gradient (TMSG), derived from myocardial strain M‐mode imaging (TDI‐Q, Toshiba) for quantifying regional systolic wall motion. Method: We measured transmural myocardial strain distribution at the left ventricular lateral, posterior, inferior, septal, anteroseptal and anterior walls in the basal and midventricular short‐axis images using TDI‐Q. Twenty normals (35 ± 3 years) and 35 consecutive patients (63 ± 9 years) with coronary artery disease (CAD, 19 patients with old myocardial infarction, 4 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 12 patients with angina pectoris) were studied. Peak strain, endocardial‐ and epicardial‐half strain and TMSG ((peak strain, ? epicardial strain)/distance between peak and epicardial points) were obtained. Coefficient of variation (CV) of each index was calculated. Results: In control subjects, the best reproducibility of the variables was obtained for TMSG with the smallest CV (11.6%) (27.8%, 28.1%, and 35.5%, respectively for CV of peak strain, endocardial‐ and epicardial‐half strain). All segments in control subjects and normal segments in CAD patients showed no significant difference in TMSG (15.1 ± 1.8 vs. 15.1 ± 1.6%/mm, P = ns). TMSG was the lowest for akinetic segments and highest for the normal segments (P < 0.001). Conclusion: TMSG was more robust than simple strain values to quantitatively assess wall motion. This could successfully identify subtle regional differences in wall function. (Echocardiography 2011;28:181‐187)     

不同年龄段糖尿病患者冠状动脉CT血管造影特征：1 876例分析

目的探讨不同年龄段糖尿病患者冠状动脉cT血管造影（coronarycomputedtomographyangiography,CCTA）血管特征及糖尿病患者CCTA的检查时机。方法回顾分析了1876例临床怀疑冠心病而行CCTA检查的糖尿病患者的冠状动脉特征。将研究对象按年龄段分为〈60岁组和≥60岁组,进一步按照有否高血压、血脂异常、肥胖和吸烟等因素分层,比较了两组患者的冠状动脉狭窄和钙化积分差异。结果≥60岁组糖尿病患者血管狭窄发生率（32．11％）较〈60岁组（24．39％）显著增高（P〈0．05）,多支血管病变发生率≥60岁组（23．25％）显著高于〈60岁组（14．0I％,P〈0．05）无论合并肥胖、吸烟、血脂异常与否,与〈60岁组相比,≥60岁组中有更高比例的患者合并重度冠脉狭窄和／或中度狭窄、更多支的冠脉病变和更严重的钙化积分,两组差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05o结论对于60岁以上合并多种危险因素的糖尿病患者,宜尽早行冠心病的筛查。CCTA可提供简便、无创的检查手段。     

The incremental prognostic value of pharmacological stress echo over exercise electrocardiography in women with chest pain of unknown origin.

AIMS: The value of exercise electrocardiography in evaluating women with suspected coronary artery disease is limited. Conversely, stress echocardiography is effective for both diagnostic and prognostic purposes in females. The purpose of the study was to determine the relative prognostic value of exercise electrocardiography and pharmacological stress echocardiography in a cohort of women with chest pain of unknown origin, in order to verify whether criteria could be established for the daily non-invasive evaluation of such a low-risk profile population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Exercise electrocardiography and pharmacological stress echocardiography (171 dipyridamole, 73 dobutamine) were performed in 244 women (age 60+/-10 years) with chest pain and known coronary artery disease. A positive result of exercise electrocardiography (ST-segment shift > or =1 mm at 80 ms after the J point) was detected in 95 patients; a positive result of stress echocardiography (new regional wall motion abnormalities) was observed in 33 patients. During follow-up (36+/-18 months), two deaths, five infarctions, seven unstable anginas, and 11 coronary revascularizations occurred. Using Cox analysis, the positive result of stress echocardiography (odds ratio=40.1) alone, was independently related to hard cardiac events (death, infarction). With spontaneous cardiac events (death, infarction, and unstable angina) as end-points, the multivariate prognostic predictors were a positive result of stress echocardiography (odds ratio=37.0), a family history of coronary artery disease (odds ratio=4.1), typical chest pain (odds ratio=3.7), and a positive exercise electrocardiography result with a rate-pressure product < or =20 000 (odds ratio=3.5). By adopting an interactive stepwise procedure, the prognostic value of stress echocardiography was incremental to that of clinical and exercise electrocardiography data. Nevertheless, the negative result of exercise electrocardiography and pharmacological stress predicted a very high and comparable (P=ns) 24-month survival rate when both hard and spontaneous cardiac events were taken as end-points. CONCLUSIONS: In women with chest pain, stress echocardiography is a strong and independent prognostic indicator, incremental to that shown by exercise electrocardiography. However, the two tests have a similar high negative predictive value in this population. Therefore, exercise electrocardiography has to be considered the initial approach and the only test when the result is negative, whereas stress echocardiography is warranted in selected conditions, including those in women with uninterpretable electrocardiograms, those unable to exercise maximally, and those with an ambiguous or ischaemic response to exercise electrocardiography.     

冠状动脉双源CT与冠状动脉造影成像对急诊胸痛患者诊断冠心病的价值

目的:以常规冠状动脉造影(CAG)为"金标准",探讨急诊胸痛患者双源CT(DSCT)冠状动脉血管成像诊断冠心病的价值,分析DSCT诊断冠心病的准确度、灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值和阴性预测值。方法:对115例以胸痛为主诉的急诊就诊、临床怀疑冠心病拟行CAG的患者[男60例,女55例,平均年龄(66.37±10.29)岁]进行DSCT冠状动脉成像,统计分析DSCT对诊断冠状动脉不同程度狭窄冠心病的准确度、灵敏度及特异度,并与CAG结果对比。结果:共获得92例有诊断价值的病例,DSCT诊断冠状动脉中重度狭窄的准确度为94.6%,灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为96.7%、90.6%、95.1%和93.5%。对于诊断轻度狭窄冠心病的灵敏度为70.6%,特异度为63.9%,阳性预测值为34.3%,阴性预测值为91.2%。结论:DSCT冠状动脉成像可作为临床冠心病可疑患者CAG手术前的预筛手段,当患者的冠状动脉为中重度狭窄时,诊断的准确度、灵敏度、特异度较高,DSCT与CAG有很好的一致性,其对是否需进一步CAG检查有较大的指导意义。DSCT对于冠状动脉轻度狭窄患者的阴性预测值较高,提示如果DSCT判定患者无冠状动脉病变,基本上无进一步行CAG的必要。     

Early detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction using two-dimensional speckle tracking strain evaluation in healthy subjects after acute alcohol intoxication

Objectives: We evaluated the ability of two-dimensional speckle tracking strain echocardiography to detect left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction as compared with LV ejection fraction (EF) in healthy subjects following acute alcohol intoxication. Methods and Results: In total, 25 healthy subjects were investigated using echocardiography 4-6 hours after the onset of alcohol intoxication at a regional festive gathering, and then compared to 23 healthy control subjects without alcohol consumption. Heart rate, blood pressure, blood alcohol level, LV volumes, EF, shortening fraction, E/A ratio, as well as global longitudinal strain (LS) were recorded. Mean blood alcohol level was 1.3 ± 0.3 g.L(-1) . Mean systolic blood pressure and heart rate were slightly increased in the alcohol group compared to controls (147.5 ± 21.8 mmHg vs 127.0 ± 9.9 mmHg, P = 0.003, and 79.7 ± 10.7 bpm vs 70.6 ± 7.6 bpm, P < 0.001, respectively). While there was no significant difference in terms of LVEF (62.9 ± 4.4% vs 64.8 ± 5.9%, P = 0.18) or shortening fraction (34.7 ± 5.9% vs 36.0 ± 4.3%, P = 0.54), global LS was significantly impaired (-17.8 ± 2.0% vs -21.2 ± 1.8%, P < 0.001). In addition, subjects who consumed alcohol had increased LV end-diastolic (108.3 ± 20.1 mL vs 95.5 ± 14.6 mL, P = 0.037) and end-systolic volumes (41.6 ± 11.4 mL vs 33.7 ± 6.9 mL, P = 0.024), along with depressed aortic time-velocity integral (19.9 ± 3.2 mL vs 21.9 ± 2.5 mL, P = 0.034). According to multivariate linear regression analyses, blood alcohol level was the only factor significantly associated with global LS (β=-3.6 ± 1.0, P = 0.005). Conclusion: Alcohol intoxication around festive days induces acute LV contraction abnormalities, which may be detected using global LS by speckle tracking at an earlier stage and more accurately than LVEF decreases.