sodium-pertechnetate-tc-99m and Chronic-Disease

To compare thyroid imaging using Tc-99m sestamibi with the standard Tc-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy in patients on chronic use of amiodarone.. A total of 23 patients on oral amiodarone for at least 4 months had thyroid scintigraphy and uptake measurement using Tc-99m pertechnetate and Tc-99m sestamibi. Thyroid function was evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of thyrotropin, free thyroxine, and free triiodothyronine, and antithyroglobulin and antithyroperoxidase antibodies.. Ten of the 23 patients were euthyroid, 9 hypothyroid, and 4 hyperthyroid, with normal, increased, and decreased serum thyrotropin, respectively. All euthyroid patients had markedly decreased thyroid Tc-99m pertechnetate uptake and normal or slightly increased Tc-99m sestamibi uptake, except for one patient who had increased uptake of both radiotracers. One of the 4 hyperthyroid patients had Graves' disease and markedly increased thyroid uptake of both tracers. The other 3 hyperthyroid patients had normal or decreased Tc-99m pertechnetate uptake and increased Tc-99m sestamibi uptake. Differently than expected, all 9 hypothyroid patients had normal or increased uptake of both radiopharmaceuticals.. This study suggests that Tc-99m sestamibi may be an alternative tracer for thyroid scintigraphy and uptake measurement of patients on chronic use of amiodarone. Tc-99m sestamibi seems to be better than Tc-99m pertechnetate for the scintigraphic evaluation of the thyroid of euthyroid and hyperthyroid patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amiodarone; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; Thyroid Diseases; Thyroid Gland

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of 99mTc-pertechnetate per-rectal portal scintigraphy (PPS) in the assessment of portal circulation in children with chronic cholestasis.. PPS percentage shunt index (%SI) (the amount of radionuclide that shunts the liver and reaches the systemic blood after injection in the rectum) was measured in 22 children (mean age, 7.2 +/- 4.9 y) and compared with established clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic and imaging parameters of portal hypertension (PH). Fourteen children had surgically treated biliary atresia, and 8 had chronic intrahepatic cholestasis. Six clinically well children served as control subjects.. The %SI was 14.3 +/- 3.1 and 34.7 +/- 18.8 in controls and in patients, respectively (P < 0.01). A cutoff of 19% correctly allocated 100% of controls and 86% of patients. Mean %SI values were significantly higher in patients with biliary atresia, a high risk of pretransplantation death, esophageal varices (EV) at endoscopy, and an abnormal value for the ratio of lesser omentum thickness to abdominal aorta diameter (LO/Ao) at ultrasonography. Correlations between %SI values and several ultrasonographic continuous variables were statistically significant only for LO/Ao ratios (r = 0.51; P = 0.005) and spleen longitudinal diameters (r = 0.53; P = 0.01). The presence of EV could correctly be predicted only when values of %SI were greater than 30% (100% specificity; 56% sensitivity). Endoscopic and PPS findings agreed for a diagnosis of PH with EV in 3 of 7 patients with normal or borderline ultrasonographic LO/Ao ratios. PPS patterns and %SI values became normal in 3 children who underwent liver transplantation.. In children with chronic cholestasis, PPS may be an advantageous, minimally invasive tool complementary to ultrasonography and endoscopy for better assessment and follow-up of PH before and after liver transplantation.

Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Cholestasis; Chronic Disease; Endoscopy, Digestive System; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Portal; Infant; Male; Portal System; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Rectum; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Ultrasonography

To evaluate the diagnostic value of technetium 99m pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with certain salivary gland diseases.. We evaluated 47 patients: 25 with chronic obstructive parotitis, 12 with sialolithiasis, and 10 with Sjögren syndrome. All of the patients underwent preoperative (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy. Patients with chronic obstructive parotitis also underwent ultrasonography, sialography, and sialoendoscopy; patients with sialolithiasis also underwent ultrasonography and computed tomography; and patients with Sjögren syndrome also underwent ultrasonography and sialography. We made comparisons between (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy and the other aforementioned diagnostic tests to investigate the role of (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy in diseases of the salivary glands.. In patients with chronic obstructive parotitis, (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed reduced excretion by the affected glands, whereas uptake was nearly normal. Among patients with sialolithiasis, (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed reduced excretion by the affected glands and decreased uptake in 5 patients. In patients with Sjögren syndrome, (99m)Tc-pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy showed a decrease in both excretion and uptake by the 4 glands.. Technetium 99m pertechnetate salivary gland scintigraphy played a substantial role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of salivary gland diseases.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Dilatation; Endoscopy; Humans; Middle Aged; Parotitis; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Salivary Ducts; Salivary Gland Calculi; Salivary Gland Diseases; Salivary Glands; Sialography; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Therapeutic Irrigation; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography; Young Adult

Radionuclide imaging specific for functioning splenic tissue is considered the method of choice to detect an accessory spleen in patients of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), who present with relapse after splenectomy. Radioimmunospleen scintigraphy with Tc-99m-labeled autologous RBC opsonized with anti-D IgG (RIS) is claimed to be more sensitive and specific than Tc-99m heat-denatured RBC spleen scintigraphy (HDRS) in the detection of an accessory spleen. We compared the efficacy of RIS with HDRBC for the detection of accessory spleens. A total of 45 patients (male:female = 17:28, age range: 6-58 years) who presented with relapse of ITP after splenectomy underwent scintigraphy with both methods. An average of 3 years had passed since surgery. All patients were imaged by a dual-head gamma camera with high-resolution collimators; planar static images and SPECT of abdomen were acquired.. Accessory spleens were detected in 31% (14 of 45) of patients, 6 had 1 each and 8 had more than 1 (including 1 patient who had 13 accessory spleens). Both methods were concordant in all the patients. There was no difference in the scintigraphic picture (planar and SPECT) or in the size and number of accessory spleens detected.. Tc-99m-labeled anti-D IgG opsonized autologous RBC spleen scintigraphy provides no additional diagnostic information over heat-denatured RBC spleen scintigraphy. Heat-denatured RBC scintigraphy thus remains the procedure of choice in the detection of accessory spleens.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Chronic Disease; Erythrocytes; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Isoantibodies; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic; Radioimmunodetection; Radiopharmaceuticals; Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; Rho(D) Immune Globulin; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Spleen; Splenectomy; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Mucociliary transport and absorption of maxillary mucosa were studied in patients with different forms of maxillary sinusitis. Radionuclide dynamic maxillary scintigraphy specified functional characteristics of maxillary mucosa in respect to the form of its inflammation.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Maxillary Sinus; Maxillary Sinusitis; Mucociliary Clearance; Mucous Membrane; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

Paranasal sinus infections and nasolacrimal duct obstructions are commonly encountered problems. However the relationship between these two conditions is not yet clear. Trauma, surgery, tumors, and systemic diseases are among the causes of acquired nasolacrimal duct obstructions but most of the cases are idiopathic. In this study patients diagnosed with chronic paranasal sinus infection were examined with 99mTc lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy to assess their nasolacrimal duct function.. Twenty-four patients diagnosed with chronic paranasal sinus infection are included in the study. These patients were observed for at least three months awaiting surgical treatment following unsuccessful medical treatment. The control group included 16 persons admitted to the ophthalmology department without any nasolacrimal duct disease. Nasal endoscopy and paranasal sinus CT revealed normal findings. The age of the patients with chronic paranasal sinus infection and examined in regard to nasolacrimal duct function was between 15 to 17 with a mean age of 34.2 years. Fourteen patients were male and 10 patients were female. The control group included 9 male and 7 female patients between 18 to 60 years with a mean of 30.5 years.. The dacryoscintigraphic examination of 48 nasolacrimal ducts in 24 patients with chronic paranasal sinus infection revealed 7 complete and 18 partial obstructions of the duct, and 23 normal findings. In the control group with 32 nasolacrimal ducts of 16 patients, there was no complete obstruction. Partial obstruction (10.6, 12.0, 14.7 minutes) was be observed in three cases. The statistical workup resulted in a significant difference between paranasal sinus patients and control group (x2 = 15,840 p < 0.001). The paranasal sinus CTs of the patients with paranasal sinus disease were staged using the Lund-Mackay staging system: There is no correlation between the staging score of the paranasal sinus infection and the degree of the obstruction the nasolacrimal duct.. This study shows that chronic paranasal sinus disease plays an important role in the pathogenesis of nasolacrimal duct obstructions. The presence of infection has an influence on the nasolacrimal drainage system, but the distribution (staging) of the infection does not appear to correlate with the degree of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Partial obstruction cases that may progress to complete obstruction may be detected by dacryoscintigraphy, and the treatment of chronic paranasal sinus disease may help to overcome the lacrimal drainage problems in these cases.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Lacrimal Duct Obstruction; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Sinusitis; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

An abnormal salivary scintigram is an accepted objective criterion in the diagnosis of primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome, an immune-mediated disorder characterized by xerostomia and kerato-conjunctivitis sicca. However, chronic sialadenitis constitutes a major differential diagnostic consideration in the xerostomic population. We investigated 39 cases of biopsy-confirmed chronic sialadenitis and 152 individuals with first- or second-degree Sjögren's syndrome, according to international classification criteria. We analysed scintigraphic defects in terms of glands per patient, distribution patterns, kinetics and severity. Relative to Sjögren's syndrome, chronic sialadenitis showed significantly fewer defective glands per patient, less frequent dual parotid-submandibular defects, fewer combined deficits of uptake and discharge, and milder uptake failure. No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of single gland abnormality, predilection for submandibular involvement, and respective proportions of uptake-only and discharge-only defects. Unevaluable discharge due to low uptake, although comprising only 34% of test-positive cases, appeared to be a highly specific but insensitive scintigraphic marker for Sjögren's syndrome. In non-irradiated xerostomic populations, scintigraphy provides specific, albeit limited, diagnostic information. The procedure's ability to distinguish uptake failure from secretory failure may be a useful asset in guiding clinical management strategies and estimating outcomes.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biopsy; Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reference Values; Salivary Glands; Sialadenitis; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Tissue Distribution

Temporomandibular joints are involved in Bechterew's diseases in 59.6% of cases, more often in the peripheral form of the disease. Involvement at the debut of the disease was observed in 33.3%, including monoarthritis in 28.6%. The incidence of these lesions correlated with involvement of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Unstable symmetrical arthritides with early rigidity predominate in the clinical picture. Extraarticular symptoms, such as defiguration, tenosynovitis, are typical. X-ray examination reveals pseudodilatation of the joint fissure, periarticular osteosclerosis, ossification of the ligaments, early ankylosis without predestruction. Erosive changes of the temporomandibular joint are not typical. Scintigraphy with pertechnephore is an informative method for ruling out other diseases of the temporomandibular joint.

Topics: Cephalometry; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Radiography, Panoramic; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Temporomandibular Joint; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Comparative data of transcranial ultrasonic dopplerography (170 patients) and radionuclide antroscintigraphy (124), received during diagnostics of defeats of venous collectors of brain are analyzed. Five variants of defeats of venous collectors (cross, sigmoid, internal of jugular vein), but also unpaired sine (direct, confluent) are described. Received results permit to reveal interrelation of infringements of venous outflow and increase of intracranial pressure.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Brain Injuries; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Chronic Disease; Cranial Sinuses; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pseudotumor Cerebri; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial

In a retrospective analysis the diagnostic value of two scintigraphic methods was compared with each other.. 104 patients with acute or intermittent gastrointestinal haemorrhage were examined with 121 scintigraphic studies. We compared scintigraphic results with surgical findings, endoscopic results or final clinical diagnosis. We used two scintigraphic methods, colloid scintigraphy and in vivo/vitro red blood cell scintigraphy.. Our scintigraphic findings reached a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 100%. We calculated a sensitivity of 68% for colloid scintigraphy and a sensitivity of 79% for red blood cell scintigraphy. The correct localisation of bleeding was successful in 52 (98%) cases.. Our results demonstrate that red blood cell scintigraphy is the method of choice in detecting intermittent gastrointestinal hemorrhage. We believe that with new preparation kits for in vivo labelling red blood cell scintigraphy will become seriously competitive for the colloid scintigraphic method.

Topics: Acute Disease; Chronic Disease; Colloids; Erythrocyte Transfusion; Erythrocytes; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Rectum; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Technetium Compounds; Time Factors; Tin Compounds

To assess left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in scleroderma systematica (SS) with regard to SS course and skin lesion degree, a total of 24 SS patients were examined versus control subjects. Though cardiac symptoms manifested clinically only in 8 patients, parameters of LV diastolic function underwent changes in the majority of the examinees: the time to attaining maximal filling velocity increased, contribution of the first diastolic third to LV filling diminished, hemodynamic significance of the left atrial systole grew. More pronounced dysfunction of the myocardium occurred in patients with diffuse skin lesions, acute and subacute disease who also appeared to have reduced LV ejection fraction. The conclusion is made on frequent subclinical pattern of myocardial involvement in SS patients which runs primarily as LV diastolic dysfunction. Systolic disturbance emerge later or in more active forms.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Chronic Disease; Diastole; Female; Gated Blood-Pool Imaging; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Scleroderma, Systemic; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Ventricular Function, Left

A patient with a chronic occult gastrointestinal bleeding site is described. Because an extensive examination failed to locate the site of bleeding, a heparin infusion was used in conjunction with a conventional Tc-99m labeled red cell bleeding study. A mid-jejunal ulcer was safely localized before elective surgery. A protocol for a heparin provocative bleeding study is proposed.

Topics: Aged; Chronic Disease; Erythrocytes; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Heparin; Humans; Jejunal Diseases; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Ulcer

Per-rectal portal scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate is a method to evaluate portosystemic shunting (shunt index) in inferior mesenteric vein. In this study the shunt index was estimated in patients with chronic liver disease in relation to the severity of liver injury, portal hypertension and incidence of oesophageal varices. Shunt index was elevated in patients with non-cirrhotic liver disease as compared with healthy normals (34 +/- 6% vs 8 +/- 2%; p < 0.0005). Moreover, patients with cirrhosis had the shunt index of 65 +/- 4% which was higher than in other groups. There was no correlation of the shunt index to the Child-Pugh classification, hepatic venous pressure gradient and varices size in the cirrhotic patients. Conversely, the shunt index differentiated variceal bleeders from non-bleeders (80 +/- 4% vx 59 +/- 6%; p < 0.005). These data show that peripheral collateral circulation develop in response to mild elevation of portal pressure, but its hemodynamic efficacy to alleviate portal hypertension seems to be unremarkable. High shunt index might reflect elevated risk of bleeding from varices.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Hemodynamics; Humans; Hypertension, Portal; Liver Diseases; Male; Mesenteric Veins; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Rectum; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

Functional state of left ventricle was studied in 43 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. All the patients showed pronouncedly reduced total ejection, stroke volume and cardiac index, increased final diastolic and final systolic volumes, decreased ejection rate indices. Analysis of regional contractility of left ventricle allowed to detect significant fall of ejection fraction in 96.3% of segments. Diastolic dysfunction was characterized by disorders of isovolumetric relaxation, changes in hemodynamical structure and contribution of atrial systole to ventricular filling, decrease of volumetric compliance of left ventricle. The data obtained give a reason to consider that appropriate therapy of dilated cardiomyopathy should be carried out with taking into account both systolic and diastolic left ventricle dysfunction.

Topics: Adult; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; Chronic Disease; Female; Gated Blood-Pool Imaging; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Ventricular Function, Left

The scintigraphic detection of small nocturnal aspirations of radio-labelled gastric contents is difficult in the presence of high remaining activity in the abdomen, causing a non-uniform background activity. This problem was examined in phantom experiments and a technique for interpolative background correction was further developed. The accuracy of this technique was found to be influenced by the distance between the lung and the abdominal source of activity, and the minimum detectable 'aspirated' activity was determined as 0.1 MBq at a distance of 15 cm and 1 MBq at 5 cm. The interpolative technique for background correction was evaluated on healthy volunteers and laryngectomized patients, examined 10 h after intragastric instillation of 200 MBq of 99Tcm-pertechnetate. After background subtraction, their calculated pulmonary mean net count value was comparable to that registered before the radioactive tracer was administered. No localized accumulation of activity was found in any of these controls. The technique was then applied clinically to 55 patients with chronic respiratory disorders and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux. Aspiration was detected in 11 patients (20%). Five aspirators had asthma, two a chronic cough of unknown origin, two recurrent pulmonary infections, and one chronic bronchitis and chronic laryngitis respectively. Aspiration was detected among patients with and without demonstrated pathological gastroesophageal reflux.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Asthma; Chronic Disease; Female; Gastroesophageal Reflux; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Intubation, Gastrointestinal; Laryngectomy; Lung; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Radionuclide Imaging; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

The scintigrams of 76 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding referred over an 8 year period have been reviewed together with their subsequent clinical course. Twenty-five patients had either 99Tcm-sulphur colloid or 99Tcm-labelled red cell scintigraphy to localize a source of active bleeding. Fourteen patients had 99Tcm-sulphur colloid scintigraphy, of which seven were false negatives, two were false positives and two were true positives. Eleven patients had 12 99Tcm-labelled red cell scintigrams, of which three were false negatives, one was a false positive and four were true positives. Fifty patients had 99Tcm-pertechnetate scintigraphy to look for ectopic gastric mucosa in Meckel's diverticula. There were 43 true negatives, two false negatives, two true positives and three false positives in this group. Our results emphasize the need for caution in interpreting nuclear medicine studies in patients with blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Erythrocytes; False Negative Reactions; False Positive Reactions; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Retrospective Studies; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid

A practical, time-saving procedure for sequential quantitative scintigraphy is introduced and 4 parameters chosen from 12 parameters by discriminant analysis are used to evaluate the function of the parotid gland. The examination was performed in 120 cases, including 16 cases with recurrent parotitis in childhood, 33 with chronic obstructive parotitis (COP), 37 with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), 4 with sialadenosis, and 30 normal controls. The scintigraphic findings were analyzed and compared with the histologic findings. The diagnostic value of this method was investigated and scaling for differential diagnosis of COP and SS was established. Scintigraphy is considered to be a useful method for evaluation of parotid function and as a diagnostic aid for SS and COP, especially in patients in whom sialography cannot be performed.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Discriminant Analysis; Female; Humans; Hypertrophy; Male; Middle Aged; Parotid Diseases; Parotid Gland; Parotitis; Radionuclide Imaging; Secretory Rate; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

A method of assessing relative changes in the head blood content under the influence of medicines is described. The method is based on an analysis of deviations of the equilibrium part of the radioactivity curve recorded with the aid of gamma-scintigraphy and injection in the form of bolus of the radiopharmaceutical agent 99mTc-pertechnetate to the ulnar vein. Changes in the blood content under the influence of nitroglycerin, duzodril, adalate and cavinton were examined in 37 patients suffering from dyscirculatory encephalopathy.

Topics: Aged; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Chronic Disease; Drug Evaluation; Gamma Cameras; Humans; Hypertension; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Time Factors; Vasodilator Agents; Vasomotor System

Neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease) is a neuroectodermal disorder characterized by pigmentary changes of the skin (café-au-lait spots), cutaneous and visceral tumors (neurofibromas) and systemic abnormalities. The involvement of gastrointestinal tract in neurofibromatosis is not common. The most common symptoms, refer able to lesions in the gut, are hematemesis, melena and abdominal pain. We experienced a case of intestinal neurofibroma in von Recklinghausen's disease. The patient was a 39 year-old female who had suffered from chronic iron deficiency anemia and recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to two neurofibromas of jejunum for 3 years, which was diagnosed by superior mesenteric and ileal arteriogram and 99mTc pertechnetate-labelled RBC scan, and treated by segmental resection of jejunum with end to end anastomosis.

Topics: Adult; Anemia, Hypochromic; Chronic Disease; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Jejunal Neoplasms; Mesenteric Artery, Superior; Neurofibromatoses; Radiography; Radionuclide Imaging; Recurrence; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

An original method of sialoscintigraphy was used to investigate the structure and function of the unchanged salivary glands in 108 patients and in 192 patients with various diseases of the salivary glands (chronic interstitial sialadenitis, chronic parenchymatous sialadenitis, chronic sialadenitis, reactive-dystrophic diseases and tumors. The data obtained are of great importance for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of salivary gland diseases as well as for the evaluation of effectiveness of therapeutic measures.

Topics: Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Methods; Radionuclide Imaging; Salivary Gland Diseases; Salivary Gland Neoplasms; Salivary Glands; Sialadenitis; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Time Factors

Basing on the use of instrumental research methods (axial computerized tomography, pneumoencephalography, angiography), 40 patients with diagnostically difficult cases of chronic injuries to the meninges were examined to assess the potentialities of encephaloscintigraphy (ES). High information content of ES was marked in 72.5% of patients. It is advisable that the given method be used in patients with suspected cerebral arachnoiditis at the first stage of research.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arachnoid; Arachnoiditis; Cerebral Angiography; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; False Negative Reactions; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumoencephalography; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A study was made of changes of esophageal transport function in 10 patients with thyroid adenoma and in 27 patients after surgical and radiotherapeutic management for thyroid cancer. The results were compared with those of a control group. Significant data on changes on esophageal transport function in patients with thyroid adenoma were unnoticed. Esophageal dysfunction after operation and radioactive iodine therapy for cancer was detected in 55%. Dysfunction was thought to be caused by dysphagia which showed direct correlation with the severity of hypothyroidism.

Topics: Adenoma; Biological Transport; Chronic Disease; Combined Modality Therapy; Esophagus; Gamma Cameras; Gastritis; Goiter, Nodular; Humans; Postoperative Period; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Thyroid Neoplasms; Thyroidectomy; Tomography, Emission-Computed

Portal circulation in patients with chronic liver diseases was evaluated by [99mTc]pertechnetate per-rectal scintigraphy. Technetium-99m pertechnetate (10 mCi) was instilled into the upper rectum, and serial scintigrams were taken. Radioactivity curves for the liver and heart were then recorded sequentially. Through analysis of these curves, the per-rectal portal shunt index (Sl) was calculated for six healthy subjects and 228 patients, 59 with chronic hepatitis, seven with idiopathic portal hypertension, six with primary biliary cirrhosis, and 156 with cirrhosis. In the healthy subjects, the Sl was 1.9-5.2% (mean 4.1%). In hepatitis, the mean Sl was 7.1%, and in cirrhosis, 52.9%. The Sl was higher in cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices than in those without (p less than 0.001), and in cirrhotic patients with encephalopathy than in those without (p less than 0.01). For some patients with portal hypertension, portal collateral circulation could be depicted, and images of changes in the portal collateral circulation after vascular anastomosis were seen.

Topics: Administration, Rectal; Adult; Chronic Disease; Collateral Circulation; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Female; Heart; Hepatitis; Humans; Hypertension, Portal; Liver; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary; Liver Diseases; Methods; Middle Aged; Portal System; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Vena Cava, Inferior

Twenty-three patients with chronic aortic incompetence (17 men and 6 women) aged 27 to 71 years (average 51 years) underwent sequential gamma-angiography at rest and during the different levels of exercise and recovery phase to investigate the evolution of ventricular function and regurgitant fraction and so, guide therapy. The radionuclide indices of left ventricular function (end diastolic and end systolic indexed volumes, global ejection fraction, regional wall motion) and the regurgitant fractions were calculated and compared with clinical, echocardiographic, angiographic and haemodynamic data. The changes observed on effort during gamma-angiography allowed identification of 3 groups of patients: Group I: compensated aortic incompetence with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (0.69 +/- 0.1), a moderate regurgitant fraction (40 per cent +/- 20 per cent) and, during exercise, a stable left ventricular end diastolic volume index (less than 5 per cent variation), an end systolic volume index which decreased (average-13 per cent), an ejection fraction which increases (by more than 0.05 in 62.5 per cent of cases) and with good global and regional wall motion. Group II: intermediate cases with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.62 +/- 0.09 and a regurgitant fraction of 60 +/- 16 per cent. Individual variations were observed with this group which either resembled those of Group I or those of Group III.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aortic Valve Insufficiency; Chronic Disease; Exercise Test; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Stroke Volume

We studied the exercise ejection fraction response in 56 patients with chronic aortic insufficiency. All had left ventricular dilatation but preserved resting ejection fraction and minimal or no symptoms. The exercise ejection fraction increased by 0.05 units or greater in 18 (32%) patients (group I), remained within 0.05 units of the resting value in 18 (32%) patients (group II), and fell by 0.05 units or greater in 20 (36%) patients (group III). There were no significant differences among the groups in left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, end-systolic dimension, or fractional shortening by echocardiography or in resting left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by radionuclide angiography. Left ventricular end-systolic wall stress was significantly higher in group III than in either group I or group II (89 +/- 20 vs 70 +/- 18 and 69 +/- 17 X 10(3) dyne/cm2; p less than .005). At peak exercise there were no differences among groups in systolic blood pressure. However, end-systolic volume increased from 65 +/- 28 to 77 +/- 36 ml/m2 in group III and fell from 50 +/- 21 to 28 +/- 18 ml/m2 in group I during exercise. Thus, at peak exercise end-systolic volume was nearly three times greater in group III than in group I. Although stress could not be determined directly during exercise, the directional changes in its determinants suggest that it also would have been higher in group III patients. A highly significant inverse correlation was present between the ejection fraction response and the change in end-systolic volume (r = -.87, p less than .0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aortic Valve Insufficiency; Blood Pressure; Cardiac Output; Cardiac Volume; Chronic Disease; Echocardiography; Erythrocytes; Exercise Test; Female; Heart; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction; Physical Exertion; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Stress, Mechanical; Stroke Volume

A special background subtraction in dynamic scintigraphy of the salivary glands enables the production of net-time-activity-curves and the calculation of quantitative parameters of each gland. Regional functional differences within a single gland are shown by phase and gradient images. The physiological kinetics of the tracer and its modifications in different diseases of the glands (acute and chronic inflammation, tumours, Sjögrens-Syndrome) are analyzed in 367 patients.

Topics: Adenoma; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic; Chronic Disease; Humans; Radionuclide Imaging; Salivary Gland Diseases; Salivary Gland Neoplasms; Sialadenitis; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

Forty consecutive asymptomatic patients with chronic aortic regurgitation who underwent three serial yearly rest and postexercise radionuclide angiograms were compared with 27 consecutive patients with chronic aortic regurgitation and aortic valve replacement who were studied preoperatively, 3 and 15 months postoperatively. Patients were divided into four subgroups based upon the resting left ventricular ejection fraction and the functional reserve on the initial study. Of the 40 medically treated patients, 19 (47.5%) and 24 (60%) demonstrated a response at least one type lower at 12 months and 24 months, respectively. Initial functional reserve, initial duration of exercise, and the change in exercise duration during the 24 months was not associated with changes in resting or postexercise left ventricular ejection fraction. A seesaw pattern was observed between the resting and the postexercise left ventricular ejection fraction as ventricular function deteriorated. We observed in the surgical groups a reversal of the seesaw interaction between the resting and postexercise ejection fraction seen in the medical patients. In the surgical groups the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, initial functional reserve, initial duration of exercise, and change in exercise duration postoperatively were not predictors of improvement in left ventricular function at 15 months. Comparing medical and surgical serial data, we suggest yearly radionuclide angiographic determination of rest left ventricular ejection fraction in asymptomatic patients with chronic aortic regurgitation. When the rest ejection fraction is less than 50%, exercise angiography should be performed to determine functional reserve. When functional reserve is also abnormal, surgery should be recommended.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aortic Valve Insufficiency; Cardiac Output; Child; Chronic Disease; Coronary Circulation; Female; Heart Rate; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heart Ventricles; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction; Physical Exertion; Postoperative Complications; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

The general and regional contractility of the left ventricle was studied in 69 patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD) and in 10 practically healthy persons using the method of radionuclide ventriculography (RNVG). The contractility indicators in dynamic and static RNVG were correlated. A high degree of correlation was obtained between them as well as with the findings of radiopaque ventriculography. It was established that data processing with the help of a cardiosynchronizer is of high informative value, significant and can be used in RNVG variants thus making it possible to use the same program of processing. The frequency of the methods and mean dispersion of the results were assessed. Numerical values of the general and regional contractility in healthy persons and in patients with varying severity of chronic CHD were determined.

Topics: Adult; Chronic Disease; Coronary Disease; Diphosphates; Heart; Heart Ventricles; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction; Pentetic Acid; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Stroke Volume; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; Tomography, Emission-Computed

Topics: Age Factors; Cardiac Output; Chronic Disease; Exercise Test; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Function Tests; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Hemodynamics; Humans; Male; Methods; Mitral Valve; Mitral Valve Insufficiency; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Technetium; Time Factors

Simultaneous hemodynamic and radionuclide angiographic assessment was made at rest and during exercise in nine patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure to determine the value of radionuclide left ventricular ejection fraction measurement in predicting the hemodynamic response to short-term treatment with oral hydralazine. Hydralazine, 50 to 100 mg orally every 6 hours, produced significant increases in cardiac index and stroke volume index at rest and during exercise (p less than 0.01) and in left ventricular stroke work index at rest (p less than 0.01) and during exercise (p less than 0.05), significant decreases in systemic vascular resistance at rest and during exercise (p less than 0.01) and significant increases in radionuclide angiographic left ventricular ejection fraction at rest (control 0.21 +/- 0.06 vs. hydralazine 0.26 +/- 0.07, p less than 0.01) and during exercise (control 0.21 +/- 0.08 vs. hydralazine 0.24 +/- 0.09, p less than 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant correlations between changes in radionuclide ejection fraction with hydralazine and changes in hemodynamic variables with hydralazine, either at rest or during exercise. Patients responding hemodynamically to hydralazine could not be separated from those not responding on the basis of the radionuclide ejection fraction at rest or changes in ejection fraction with hydralazine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cardiac Catheterization; Cardiac Output; Chronic Disease; Drug Evaluation; Female; Heart Failure; Heart Ventricles; Hemodynamics; Humans; Hydralazine; Male; Middle Aged; Physical Exertion; Radionuclide Imaging; Rest; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Stroke Volume; Technetium

Technetium Pertechnetate Scintigraphy was performed in 12 patients (9 men and 3 women, average age 48 +/- 13 years) on an average 19.8 +/- 11 months after valve replacement for chronic mitral insufficiency. Preoperative conventional ventriculography had revealed increased enddiastolic and endsystolic volumes (230.9 +/- 66 resp. 73.5 +/- 26 ml). 59.4 +/- 9% of the stroke volume (157.5 +/- 47 ml) regurgitated into the left atrium. Ejection-fraction (67.7 +/- 6%) was normal in all cases. Postoperative first pass technique was employed using a fast multicrystal camera (Baird Atomic, system 77). Volumes were assessed measuring normalized total count rate (count integral of the left ventricle divided by the maximum count density). 19.8 +/- 11 months after valve replacement enddiastolic and endsystolic volumes revealed normal at rest (121.8 +/- 38 resp. 52.8 +/- 35 ml) and after maximum exercise (122.0 +/- 29 resp. 37.6 +/- 22 ml). Ejection fraction responded physiologically to exercise by rising from 57.7 +/- 12 to 69.7 +/- 10%.

Topics: Adult; Chronic Disease; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve Insufficiency; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Stroke Volume; Technetium