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Aims: The burden of ischaemia is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) but is not systematically tested when deciding on revascularization. Limited data exists in patients with ICM regarding the interaction between ischaemia and early coronary revascularization (ECR). This study sought to determine if the burden of ischaemia modifies the outcomes of ECR in ICM., Methods and Results: Consecutive patients with ICM (left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%) with a stress-rest gated single-photon emission computed tomography (N = 747) were followed-up for ECR and major cardiovascular events (MACEs, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or heart failure hospitalization). A 1:1 matched population was selected using a propensity score for ECR. The interaction between ischaemia and ECR was evaluated in the matched cohort. In the initial cohort, 131 patients underwent ECR. Of them, 109 were matched to non-ECR patients. After a median follow up of 4.1 years, 102 (46.8%) patients experienced a MACE. The effect of revascularization on MACE was dependent of the percent of ischaemia (P for the interaction at 10% ischaemia = 0.021), so that a trend towards a decreased risk of MACE was seen in patients with >10% of ischaemia [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.59 (0.30-1.18)], whereas a non-significant increase of MACE was observed in those with <10% ischaemia (HR = 1.67 [0.94-2.96])., Conclusions: In a contemporary cohort of patients with ICM, the beneficial effects of ECR may be mediated by the percent of ischaemia. This study supports stress testing in ICM and an ischaemia-guided approach for ECR., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: E.R.-A. has received non-conditioned grants from Biotronik, Micropport, Johnson&Johnson, Sanofi, and Sanofi Genzyme; none of them related to the current topic., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Q waves may be observed in the absence of non-viable tissue. However, their scintigraphic translation in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) has not been properly assessed. This study sought to establish the determinants of Q waves in the absence of non-viable tissue and the diagnostic accuracy in this population. A retrospective study enrolling 487 consecutive patients (67.0 [57.4 - 75.4] years), with ICM, LVEF  < 40% and narrow QRS who underwent stress-rest 99 m-Tc SPECT was conducted. A 17-segment model for myocardium was used: Myocardium was divided in basal (1 to 6), mid (7 to 12), apical (13 to 16) and apex (17) segments. Non-viable tissue was defined as a severe perfusion defect without systolic thickening. Patients with Q waves (65.7%) had more non-viable tissue, more extensive scar and less ischemia. Q waves had a moderate correlation with non-viable tissue (AUC = 0.63) and were associated with the extension of the scar. After excluding patients with non-viable tissue in any myocardial segment, Q waves were observed in 51.9% of the patients, of which 78.1% had a scar fulfilling viability criteria. The presence of Q waves was associated with the location of these scars in a base-to-apex axis (OR = 1.88 [1.35-2.62] for segment towards the apex) and their extent (OR = 1.19 [1.05 - 1.35] for each segment). In patients with ICM, Q waves discriminate poorly viable from non-viable tissue. Q waves in this population may be due to extensive scars fulfilling viability criteria located in apical segments.

Introduction and Objectives: The correct interpretation of myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) requires knowledge of the technique reproducibility. The objective was analyze the interobserver correlation of different experience in the interpretation of myocardial perfusion SPECT in patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in order to improve the quality of our site., Methods: Sixty cases (56 +/- 11 years, 87 % men) with transmural AMI who had recently undergone successful thrombolysis were included. Resting perfusion with (99m)Tc-sestamibi was performed at one week post-AMI., Analysis: Semiquantitative interpretation using 17 segment-model by 2 independent specialists and 5 observers, was performed blindly. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured with isotopic ventriculography one month after AMI, with a mean of 38 %., Results: Using independent and then agreed on perfusion analysis, average involved segments/patient was 9.3 +/- 4 and the sum of severity 25 +/- 13. Readings of other observers ranged from 7 +/- 3.7 to 9.4 +/- 3.9 and 16.7 +/- 9.7 to 24.6 +/- 13, respectively, consistent with the reading of the specialists of between 0.779-0.871 (kappa: 0.565-0.741). There was no significant difference when the number of segments were analyzed in 40 % of the cases and for intensity in 60 % of them in more experienced observers. Correlation with consensus reading for the number of segments ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 and for severity from 0.79 to 0.89. Identification of culprit arteries was acceptable, with r values between 0.612 and 0.683 and kappas between 0.629 and 0.656. Correlation of the number of involved segments and severity with LVEF performed one month after AMI was 0.73 and 0.74, respectively., Conclusions: There was good correlation in the interpretation of myocardial perfusion SPECT, with a significantly better fit in more experienced observers. This academic exercise was also helpful in improving our residents' skills in cardiology.

Unlabelled: 201Tl and 18F-FDG are useful for acute myocardial infarction (MI) assessment. The goal of this study was to compare their predictive value for wall motion recovery in the culprit area after a recent reperfused MI using SPECT technique., Methods: Forty-one patients (mean age: 56 +/- 12 years) were included, 81% of them male; all were studied within 1-24 days post MI. They underwent angioplasty in 27 cases (12 primary); bypass grafting in 10 cases and successful thrombolysis in 4. SPECT 201Tl injected at rest and redistribution (R-R) and also 18F-FDG, were performed on different days. Processed tomograms were interpreted blinded to clinical or angiographic data. Segmental wall motion assessed with echocardiography at baseline was compared with the 3 month follow up., Results: Sensitivity [Confidence Interval] for 201Tl R-R was 74.6% [60.5-84.5], for FDG it was 82.1% [70.8-90.4]; specificities were 73% [64.3-80.5] and 54.8% [45.6-63.7], respectively. 18F-FDG tended to be more sensitive than 201Tl R-R, but the latter was more specific (p < 0.0004). Both 201Tl RR and 18F-FDG presented high negative predictive value (p: ns)., Conclusion: In recent MI, SPECT 201Tl R-R is a valuable and widely available technique for viability detection, with similar sensitivity and significant better specificity than SPECT 18F-FDG.

The aim of this study was to compare the extent and severity of wall motion abnormalities, perfusion and glucose metabolism, in recent myocardial infarction in patients with and without revascularization. Forty-nine patients were studied (82% men; mean age 58 years) by using echocardiography, 201Tl single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) rest and redistribution, and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) SPECT at a mean of 9.2 days (range, 1-24 days) after myocardial infarction. Twenty-seven of the 49 patients underwent revascularization while the other 22 received medical therapy before echocardiography and studies using radionuclides. A contrast angiogram was obtained for each patient. A follow-up echocardiogram at 3 months was obtained for 44 patients. Images were read blindly, using a 17 segment model, with semi-quantitative analysis. In the whole group, the extent of hypokinesia was 15%+/-14 (mean+/-SD); the extent of mild defects was determined as 5%+/-6 by using 201Tl at rest, 6%+/-9 by using 201Tl redistribution, and 4%+/-6 by using 18F-FDG (P<0.0005, echocardiogram/radionuclides). Echocardiography showed that the extent of akinesia-dyskinesia was 16%+/-18 in revascularized patients and 28%+/-18 in non-revascularized patients (P=0.017). With regard to moderate and severe defects, 201Tl rest showed 19%+/-16 and 28%+/-17, respectively (P=0.047); 201Tl redistribution 17%+/-15 and 26%+/-15, respectively (P=0.043); and 18F-FDG 17%+/-13 and 24%+/-15, respectively (NS). In echocardiography, the extent of hypokinetic segments decreased from 16%+/-15 at baseline to 10%+/-11 at 3 months (P=0.045), in revascularized patients. It is concluded that, in recent myocardial infarction, hypokinesia extent on echocardiogram is greater than mild perfusion or metabolic defect extent, reflecting stunning and so the use of radionuclide techniques appear more accurate for defining the extent of myocardial infarction. Non-revascularized patients showed a significantly greater extent of akinesia-dyskinesia and moderate-severe perfusion defects than did revascularized patients, which can be considered a result of therapy. It is suggested that 201Tl rest perfusion be used for the assessment of myocardial infarction soon after revascularization.

Background: The detection of viability after acute myocardial infarction is primordial to select the most appropriate therapy, to decrease cardiac events and abnormal remodeling. Thallium201 SPECT is one of the radionuclide techniques used to detect viability., Aim: To evaluate the use of Thallium201 rest-redistribution SPECT to detect myocardial viability in reperfused patients after a recent myocardial infarction., Patients and Methods: Forty one patients with up to of 24 days of evolution of a myocardial infarction were studied. All had angiographically demonstrated coronary artery disease and were subjected to a successful thrombolysis, angioplasty or bypass grafting. SPECT Thallium201 images were acquired at rest and after 4 h of redistribution. These results were compared with variations in wall motion score, studied at baseline and after 3 or 4 months with echocardiography., Results: The sensitivity of rest-redistribution Thallium201 SPECT, to predict recovery of wall motion was 91% when patient analysis was performed and 79% when segmental analysis was done in the culprit region. The figures for specificity were 56 and 73% respectively., Conclusions: Rest-distribution Thallium201 SPECT has an excellent sensitivity to predict myocardial viability in recent myocardial infarction. The data obtained in this study is similar to that reported for chronic coronary artery disease.

We report a 50-year-old woman with a recent myocardial infarction in whom a myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with Thallium201 was done simultaneously with a F18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) SPECT to study glucose metabolism. Myocardial infarction was located in the anteroseptal and apical regions and an echocardiography, done at the second day of evolution, showed a septo-apical hypokinesia. On the tenth day, a coronary angiography showed a critical lesion of the anterior descending coronary artery and an angioplasty with stent placement was performed on the next day. On the twelfth day, a resting, redistribution 201Tl SPECT to study viability and a FDG-SPECT with a dual head high-energy collimator camera were done. Images, acquired 45 min after injection, were analyzed visually. In anterior and medial apical sectors, discordance between flux and metabolism, considered a classical mismatch, was observed. Echocardiographic hypokinesia disappeared three month after revascularization.