PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to better understand the pattern and nature of reverse redistribution (RR) in myocardial perfusion imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In consecutive 20 acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients, frequency of RR was correlated with that of subendocardial MI that was detected by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). RR was judged to be present when there was more than one grade of worsening in perfusion at 24 hr delayed images compared with the initial rest images. MCE evaluated the significant lack of opacification in the subendocardial myocardium relative to the subepi-cardial myocardium to suggest the subendocardial MI. Kendall's nonparametric correlation coefficiency was calculated. RESULTS: Concordant cases were 15 of 20 (75%) and correlation was statistically significant (p=0.0285). CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that RR was correlated with MCE-detected nontransmural MI.
Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Myocardium ; Perfusion

No abstract available.
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Pilot Projects* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Computed tomography (CT) seems to be the best imaging modality to diagnose an enterovesical fistula, but is not always able to demonstrate enterovesical fistula itself. In this case report, we present Tc-99m HMPAO white blood cell (WBC) scintigraphic findings of an enterovesical fistula complicating Crohn's disease. A 22 year-old male presented with a one-month history of urinary symptoms such as dysuria, hematuria, and frequency. The patient had intermittent right lower quadrant pain, diarrhea and hematochezia. Enterovesical fistula was highly suggestive in pelvic CT which showed air density in the urinary bladder, but cystoscopy failed to find an opening of the fistula. Tc-99m HMPAO WBC scintigraphy for evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease incidentally demonstrated enterovesical fistular tract. Crohn's disease was later confirmed by histologic examination of the surgical specimen. In our patient, Tc-99m HMPAO WBC imaging was helpful in determining the location of the fistula as well as assessing the disease activity and extent of the Crohn's disease.
Crohn Disease* ; Cystoscopy ; Diarrhea ; Dysuria ; Fistula* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Leukocytes* ; Male ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime* ; Urinary Bladder ; Young Adult

This is a case report of a 5-month-old male who was brought in to hospital for evaluation of jaundice from birth. The baby had a history of ileal atresia operated 2 days after birth. At the age of one month, Tc-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy was performed at other hospital and reported to show good hepatic uptake of the tracer but no uptake in the billiary tree, gall bladder, or intestine for 24 hours post injection. He was judged to have biliary atresia. However, subsequent exploratory laparotomy revealed that the hepatobiliary tree appeared intact and that there was a gall bladder. Additionally, the patient had central aorto-pulmonary shunt for the right ventricular septal defect with pulmonary stenosis of a peripheral type at the age of 4 months. The second hepatobiliary scintigraphy was performed on admission at the age of 5 months, showing a gall bladder but no intestinal uptake up to 24 hours. Retrospectively, the histological specimen of the liver obtained at the exploratory laparotomy was re-evaluated, and by the histological findings coupled with clinical data, arteriohepatic dysplasia (Alagille's syndrome) was diagnosed. In this report, we emphasize the diagnostic limitation of hepatobiliary scintigraphy and the importance of overall clinical and histologic evaluation in a case of Alagille's syndrome. (Korean J Nucl Med 2000;34:154-158)
Alagille Syndrome* ; Biliary Atresia ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestines ; Jaundice ; Laparotomy ; Liver ; Male ; Parturition ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Pericarditis, Tuberculous* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

OBJECTIVE: Using [123I]IPT-SPECT, we compared between the dopamine transporter (DAT) density of the basal ganglia in first-episode, patients with schizophrenia and DAT density in normal control subjects. We investigated the change between DAT density before and after taking olanzapine during 4weeks in patients with schizophrenia. We studied correlations between the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia and DAT density. METHODS: Ten patients with schizophrenia and ten healthy control subjects were included in this study. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were obtained before and after 4-week treatment with olanzapine in schizophrenic group. Nuclear imaging using [123I]IPT-SPECT was obtained in normal control subjects and schizophrenic group before taking olanzapine. After 4-week treatment with olanzapine, Nuclear imaging was obtained in schizophrenic group. RESULTS: There is significant negative correlation between BPRS total score, withdrawal subscale score after treatment and DAT density before treatment. There is significant positive correlation between the age of onset and DAT density after treatment and there is significant negative correlation between the duration of illness and DAT density after treatment. CONCLUSION: The data of this study suggest that DAT density in basal ganglia in patients with schizophrenia would be a predicting factor in treatment response.
Age of Onset ; Basal Ganglia ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Depression ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Psychopathology* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVE: Using [123I]IPT-SPECT, we compared between the dopamine transporter (DAT) density of the basal ganglia in first-episode, patients with schizophrenia and DAT density in normal control subjects. We investigated the change between DAT density before and after taking olanzapine during 4weeks in patients with schizophrenia. We studied correlations between the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia and DAT density. METHODS: Ten patients with schizophrenia and ten healthy control subjects were included in this study. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were obtained before and after 4-week treatment with olanzapine in schizophrenic group. Nuclear imaging using [123I]IPT-SPECT was obtained in normal control subjects and schizophrenic group before taking olanzapine. After 4-week treatment with olanzapine, Nuclear imaging was obtained in schizophrenic group. RESULTS: There is significant negative correlation between BPRS total score, withdrawal subscale score after treatment and DAT density before treatment. There is significant positive correlation between the age of onset and DAT density after treatment and there is significant negative correlation between the duration of illness and DAT density after treatment. CONCLUSION: The data of this study suggest that DAT density in basal ganglia in patients with schizophrenia would be a predicting factor in treatment response.
Age of Onset ; Basal Ganglia ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Depression ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Psychopathology* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: Leptin is a 16-kD protein encoded by the ob/ob gene and represent the amount of body fat. In pregnancy, it is thought to act in intrauterine fetal growth and energy metabolism. In this study, we investigated the effect of gestational age, fetal sex, maternal body mass index (BMI), and fetal weight estimated by ultrasound on amniotic fluid and maternal serum leptin levels at mid-trimester, respectively. METHODS: Amniotic fluid and maternal blood sampling were collected from women who was performed for genetic amniocentesis at mid-trimester (n = 26). Leptin concentrations were measured by a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) employing human recombinant leptin. Mean gestational age was 18.19+/-1.77 weeks. Mean maternal BMI was 23.83 +/-5.12kg/m2. Male fetus was 10, and female 16. Mean fetal weight estimated by ultrasound was 254.42+/-83.80gm. RESULTS: Mean maternal leptin level( 12.49+/-4.46 ng/mL) was significantly higher than mean amniotic leptin level(5.06+/-3.20 ng/mL)( p = 0.0001) at mid-trimester. But there was no significant correlationship between maternal and amniotic leptin levels( p = 0.1376). Maternal leptin concentrations at mid-trimester were correlated positively with maternal BMI(y = 2.24 + 0.43 x, R2 = 0.494, p = 0.0103). In contrast, leptin levels in amniotic fluid did not correlate with maternal leptin levels, gestational age, fetal sex, maternal BMI, and fetal weight estimated by ultrasound respectively. CONCLUSION: Maternal leptin level was higher than amniotic leptin level and could represent maternal fat mass. It was suggested that amniotic leptin level was not associated with several factors such as maternal, fetal, and amniotic factors.
Adipose Tissue ; Amniocentesis ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Body Mass Index ; Energy Metabolism ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Weight* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay ; Ultrasonography*

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic inflammatory autoimmune disease caused by various autoantibodies and immune complexes. Splenic involvement in SLE includes hypersplenism, splenic atrophy, and splenic infarction, which has rarely been reported. We report a case of SLE with isolated splenic infarction. A 20-year-old female patient was admitted complaining of general weakness, malar rash, and easy fatigue. She was diagnosed as having SLE with thrombocytopenia and received steroid treatment. On the 7th hospital day, she complained of severe left upper abdominal pain with sudden-onset. While abdominal ultrasonography showed only mild splenomegaly, abdominal CT and 99mTc-RBC splenic scintigraphy revealed segmental splenic infarction. She had no evidence of additional thrombotic event or hemorrhage. After administration of high dose steroid, abdominal pain subsided and splenic infarction was resolved.
Abdominal Pain ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Atrophy ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Exanthema ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypersplenism ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Splenic Infarction* ; Splenomegaly ; Thrombocytopenia ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a syndrome characterized by necrotizing granulomatosis lesions in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, glomerulonephritis, and generalized vasculitis involving both arteries and veins. This syndrome usually affects the upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidneys. Some patients with WG have cardiac involvement such as pericarditis, myocarditis, valvulitis, arrhthymia, coronary arteritis, and rarely cardiomyopathy. Ocular manifestations include keratitis, conjuntivitis, scleritis, retro-orbital granuloma with proptosis. Uncommonly, blindness may occur due to retinal vasculitis and optic neuritis. We report a 45-year-old female patient with WG who had sinusitis and lung nodules. She complained of sudden chest pain. Electocardiography and nuclear myocardial perfusion study suggested transient myocardial ischemia. During the active course of the disease, she complained of severe pain in the right eye-ball with decreased visual acuity. Subsequently, she developed monocular blindness probably due to retinal vasculitis.
Arteries ; Arteritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Blindness ; Cardiomyopathies ; Chest Pain ; Eosinophilia* ; Exophthalmos ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Kidney ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocarditis ; Optic Neuritis ; Perfusion ; Pericarditis ; Respiratory System ; Retinal Vasculitis ; Scleritis ; Sinusitis ; Vasculitis ; Veins ; Visual Acuity ; Wegener Granulomatosis