Clinical 2 Flashcards
A question on most useful method for assessing a right to left shunt and briefly describe how you would do it.
IV microsphere injection, typically MAA
Use geometric means of ant and post
% right to left shunt = (total body count – total lung count) / total body count x 100%
Normal <10%
List 3 ways of calculating a right to left shunt
Use geometric means of ant and post
% right to left shunt ~ (total body count – total lung count) / total body count x 100%
% right to left shunt ~ 2(kidneys + brain) / (2(kidneys + brain) + lung) x100%
% right to left shunt ~ 4kidneys / (4kidneys + lung) x 100%
Normal <10%
Schematic of nasolacrimal system - label anatomy
1 - lacrimal gland drain via lacrimal ducts
2 – superior & inferior puncta/ampulla
3 - superior and inferior canaliculus -> common canaliculus
4 - lacrimal sac
5 - nasolacrimal duct opens into inferior nasal meatus via valve of Hasner
Most common indication for salivary gland study. 3 most common causes of this problem.
Xerostomia
o Radiotherapy/radioiodine therapy
o Medications (antimuscarinic)
o Sjogren’s syndrome
Assessing a mass with salivary gland study. Name 3 causes of a “hot” mass and 3 causes of a “cold” mass.
Hot:
o Warthin’s tumor
o pleomorphic adenoma
o Oxyphilic adenoma (oncocytoma)
Cold
o Cyst
o Abscess
o Primary salivary gland tumour (adenoid cystic, mucoepidermoid)
Most common cause of hot spot on salivary imaging.
Warthin’s tumour
List the dosage, mechanism of action & when the following medications might be used in nuclear medicine: Phenobarbital, Heparin, Cimetidine, Morphine
Phenobarbital
o pretreatment prior to hepatobiliary imaging in neonate
o 5mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses for 5 to 7 days.
o It is a potent inducer of the liver microsomal enzyme system
Heparin (SNM procedure guideline)
o provocation in GI bleed study
o 6000 U IV loading dose, then 1000 U IV / hr
o anticoagulation by inactivating thrombin and activated factor X
Cimetidine
o pretreatment in Meckel’s scan (Tc-99m pert)
o adult: 300mg po QID x 2 days
o IV 300mg in 100ml D5W over 20minutes 1 hour before exam
o peds: 20mg/kg/day x 2 days
Ranitidine
o IV 1 mg/kg (max 50mg) x1 over 20min 1 hour prior) OR
o PO 2 mg/kg dose po for children & 150 mg/dose for adults
o H2 receptor blocker increases uptake of Tc-99m pertechnetate by inhibiting its release from gastric mucosa
Pentagastrin:
o Increases gastric mucosa uptake of pertechnetate but also stimulates pertechnetate secretion and GI motility.
o H2 blockers antagonize pentagastrin
o Dose: 6 ug/kg SC 15-20 minutes prior to injecting Tc-99m pertechnetate
Morphine
o used to decrease time required to confirm acute cholecystitis
o 0.04 mg/kg (max 2-3mg) given 3 minutes, after 1 hour if GB not seen and 1) no evidence of CBD obstruction 2) sufficient activity within liver to allow for subsequent imaging
o produce up to 10x increase in resting pressure of CBD by causing contraction of sphincter of Oddi. This increases flow into GB unless cystic duct is obstructed
Effects of certain drugs on the appearance of scans. Matching question. Drugs: Melphalan, corticosteroids, nicotinic acid, estrogen, atropine. Effects: Decreased uptake on HIDA, decreased MDP uptake, increased MDP uptake, slowed GB ejection, increased Ga uptake in the breast
o Melphalan increases MDP uptake (↑ lung uptake on Ga-67)
o Corticosteroids decrease MDP uptake
o Nicotinic acid decreases hepatic uptake and bile excretion on HIDA
o Estrogen alters the biodistribution of gallium-67 with uptake in breast
o Atropine decreases GB emptying (↓ pertechnetate uptake in salivary glands & stomach)
o Progesterone decreases GB emptying on HIDA
PLUS TABLE PAGE 226
critical organ of pertechnetate and effective dose /mCi/MBq
Critical organ is the stomach wall for the resting population, and the thyroid for the active population (package insert)
Effective dose is 0.011 mSv/MBq
Five methods of marking and an example of each.
Flood source behind patient: Co-57 sheet source
Tracing body outline: Tc-99m in syringe tip point source
Static anatomical marker: Co-57 sealed point source
Distance/length calibration: lead ruler +/- Co-57 sheet source
Post-acquisition image labeling: “right” or “left” markers
Name three collateral networks that form as a result of superior vena cava thrombosis.
Azygos-hemiazygos
Mediastinal venous plexus
Internal thoracic veins to superior/inferior epigastric veins
List 5 common indications for myocardial stress perfusion imaging
Diagnose CAD in symptomatic patients with intermediate pre-test probability, or asymptomatic high risk.
Risk stratify patients with chronic stable CAD
Risk stratify patients with ACS (acute coronary syndrome) within 4 days
Risk stratify patients post MI within 6 weeks or before discharge
Assess pre-op for non-cardiac surgery in patient with high risk factors or known CAD.
Evaluate efficacy of therapy (CABG after 5 years, PCI after 2 years)
Explain right dominance.
PDA supplied by RCA rather than left circumflex (85%)
7% left dominant
8% co-dominant
Describe preferred method of performing same day rest/stress myocardial perfusion studies with Tc-99m MIBI. Justify your answer.
Rest first: use 10 mCi of Tc-99m MIBI IV, wait 60 minutes then image.
Stress: wait 2-4 hours after rest portion. Stress the patient. One minute prior to peak exercise, inject
30 mCi of Tc-99m MIBI. Wait 15-30 minutes then image.
1. Higher blood flow with stress and greater activity with 2nd injection drowns out the rest injection background.
1. 60 minute delay after rest allows liver to wash out
What’s the myocardial wall motion abnormality in patients with LBBB. Explain your finding briefly:
Secondary to delayed activation of septal wall due to aberrant conduction of depolarization wave (lateral wall ->apex->septal wall) bypassing dysfunctional bundle of His
Delayed asynchronous systolic septal contraction with paradoxical motion of septum toward RV during LV systole
A table comparing Tl-201, Tc-MIBI and Tc Tetrofosmin for mechanism of uptake, time to image and reversibility
TI201: Time to image = 20 min and 4 hours Uptake = Na/K+ channels, passive diffusion reversibility = Viable Localizes to cytoplasm 85% first pass extraction Renal clearance 2-4 mCi Redistribution
MIBI: Time to image = 60/30 min post rest/stress Uptake = passive diffusion with mitochondrial adhesion 2 Reversability = ischemia Localizes to mitochondira Minimal myocardial clearance Hepatobiliary clearance 10-30 mCi 60-65% first pass Trace redistribution
tetrafosmin:
Same
50-54% first pass
Ask about artifact of cardiac imaging with noncircular acquisition.
Regional non-uniformity, as well as distortion of shape on reconstructed images, due to varying spatial resolution secondary to varying distance to activity source
Constitutes 180-degree diametrical defects
List 3 ways you might determine if a defect on SPECT is due to artifact
o Attenuation artifacts (AC, look at the raw images-breast/diaphragm, do prone imaging-diaphragm)
o Motion artifacts (look at the raw images, look at the sonogram)
o Processing artifacts (look at the attenuation maps)
What do you analyze the cine data for in MPI?
o artifact o motion o attenuation o gating (flicker artifact) o subdiaphragmatic activity (scatter & volume averaging, side lobe) o abnormal extracardiac activity
Name 3 methods most commonly used for detection of patient movement during a myocardial SPECT study. Name a disadvantage of each method. Which method is best and why?
- Visually inspect the rotating raw images – disadv: time consuming
- Summed image – Disadv: difficult to detect lateral motion
- Inspect the sinogram – horizontal motion, Disadv : gradual, continuous motion is usually not apparent.
- Inspect the Linogram – for vertical motion. Diadv : limited to vertical motion only
Best: raw images – can detect all types of motion
Give 2 reasons why movement artifacts are generally less apparent on Tl-201 images than Tc-99m-sestamibi images.
Images with Tl-201 are usually done with higher sensitivity/lower resolution collimator (low counts)
More smoothing is required, cut-off frequency of smoothing filter is lower.
What is the J-point? The ST80? How is ST depression measured?
J-point: junction of the QRS complex and ST segment; normally near the isoelectric line
ST80: is the point that is 80 ms from the J-point (2 small squares)
Positive stress test: is the J-point and ST80 depression of >= 1mm
Give 5 causes of ST depression not due to ischemia
LVH cardiomyopathy Biochemical: hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, LBBB MVP (mitral valve prolapse)
ECG parameters for AV block and QRS complex widening
AV block: P-R interval >0.20 sec (5 small squares)
QRS complex widening: >0.12 sec (3 small squares)
What are the end points for an exercise stress test?
- Moderate-to-severe angina pectoris.
- Marked dyspnea or fatigue.
- Ataxia, dizziness, or near-syncope.
- Signs of poor perfusion (cyanosis and pallor).
- Patient’s request to terminate the test.
- Excessive ST-segment depression (>2 mm).
- ST elevation (>1 mm) in leads without diagnostic Q waves (except for leads V1 or aVR).
- Sustained supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia.
- Development of LBBB or intraventricular conduction delay that cannot be distinguished from ventricular tachycardia.
- Drop in systolic blood pressure of >10 mm Hg from baseline, despite an increase in workload, when accompanied by other evidence of ischemia.
- Hypertensive response (systolic blood pressure >250 mm Hg and/or diastolic pressure >115 mm Hg).
- Technical difficulties in monitoring
Define typical angina, atypical angina and non cardiac chest pain
Criteria:
o retrosternal/left-sided chest pain radiating to jaw, neck or arm
o brought on by exercise or emotional stress
o relieved by rest or nitroglycerine
typical: 3 criteria from above
atypical: 2
non-cardiac: 1
What is the likelihood of significant CAD in a 50 yo male with (1) typical angina, (2) atypical angina, (3) noncardiac chest pain?
Pre-test probabilities:
o Typical: high
o Atypical: intermediate
o Noncardiac: intermediate
Advantages of exercise test of pharm exercise.
Exercise advantages:
o Reproduce patient symptoms
o Assess exercise capacity (HR, BP changes), independent prognostic factors
Pharmacologic advantages:
o If have contraindications to exercise
o If unable to exercise
4 absolute/relative contraindications for EST.
Absolute: o Unstable angina with recent (<48h) angina or CHF o Documented acute MI within 2-4d of testing o Uncontrolled systemic (>220 mmHg SBP, >120 mmHg DBP) or pulmonary hypertension o Untreated life-threatening arrhythmias o Uncompensated CHF o Advanced AV block (without pacemaker) o Acute myocarditis o Acute pericarditis o Severe mitral or aortic stenosis o Severe obstructive cardiomyopathy o Acute systemic illness
Relative: o Neurologic disease o Orthopedic disease o Arthritic disease o Severe pulmonary disease o Peripheral vascular disease o Severe deconditioning o Inability to comprehend the exercise protocol
Classes of medications that interfere with EST, mechanism. (Two drugs that interfere with exercise MPI)
For exercise MPI:
o CCB and beta blockers by preventing adequate heart rate response and achieving heart rate target
o Nitrates and dipyridamole being vasodilators (limiting ischemic response)
For EST
o CCB and beta blockers by preventing adequate heart rate response and achieving heart rate target
o Digoxin, estrogen cause ST depression (for EST alone)
In treadmill stress test why each stage is 3 minutes?
To allow for stabilization of HR and BP
Define double product.
Double product = peak HR x peak systolic BP
It correlates well with peak myocardial oxygen demand during exercise test.
It should be greater than 20,000 – 25K or at least double from the patients resting value for sufficiency of exercise test.
4 types of cardiac stress that can be used in Nuclear Medicine besides treadmill test and dipyridamole
Exercise – seated bicycle, lying bicycle
Adenosine
Regadenoson (A2A receptor agonist)
Dobutamine
Cold pressor test (put hand in icy water bath for 3 minutes)
Isometric hand grip exercises (hand grip machine)
Mechanism of Persantine action:
Dipyridamole:
o Indirectly augments effect of adenosine by:
– inhibiting adenosine reuptake by cell membrane transporters (mostly RBC)
– inhibiting breakdown by adenosine deaminase
Adenosine:
o Produces coronary vasodilatation as A2A & A2B receptor agonist (cAMP-mediated)
o Non-selective and causes undesirable side effects by binding to other adenosine receptors (A1/A3)
Dobutamine:
o Synthetic sympathomimetic catecholamine with inotropic and chronotropic effects on the myocardium (β1, weak β2 and α1)
o ↑ myocardial O2 demand by increasing HR, BP & contractility
Two clinical signs of persantine effect:
Hypotension and ↑ HR.
S/E of dipyridamole are flushing, headache, chest pain, hypotension and dizziness
What are the 2 cardiovascular effects from persantine (not the clinical signs which was question right after)
- ↑HR ~ 10/min from the baseline
* ↓ BP ~ 10 mm Hg from the baseline
What is the half-life of adenosine?
2-10 sec (<10s ASNC)
Half-lives of adenosine and dipyridamole
Adenosine 2 – 10 seconds
Dipyridamole – 30 – 45 minutes
Dobutamine 2 minutes
Regadenoson initial phase 2-4 min, second phase 30 min, final phase 2 hours
5 contraindications to dipyridamole
Absolute contraindication:
o history of severe bronchospasm
o 2nd or 3rd degree AV block without pacemaker or sick sinus syndrome
o hypotension - SBP < 90 mm Hg
o recent use of dipyridamole or dipy-containing medication (Aggrenox)
o methylxanthines within the last 12 hours before exam
o known hypersensitivity / allergy
o acute MI within preceding 48 hr / unstable angina
Relative contraindication:
o profound sinus bradycardia (HR < 40 bpm)
Describe protocols of stress study with adenosine including dose and the time of tracer injection
Describe protocols of stress study with adenosine including dose and the time of tracer injection
Huge table wanting 5 pharmacologic agents used for stress MPI, listing name, half life of pharmacologic action, one advantage and one disadvantage
Adenosine:
MOA = Nonselective A2A receptor agonist with A1 and A3 as well, causing vasodilation, non-specific also affects 1/2 life <10s.
Dose = 140 mcg/kg/min over 6 minutes
S/E = Minor S/E in 80% (flushing, dizziness, dyspnea, chest pain, headache), conduction abnormalities 30%, 1st degree heart block 8%, second-degree 4%, total 1%. Side effects subside within several minutes
Adv/Dis = 1.Short half-life S/E resolve by stopping infusion as opposed to persantine which requires aminophylline, + those in cell below/1.S/E more common than in persantine + those below
Persanatine
MOA = Prevents reuptake of intracellular adenosine, prevents inactivation of adenosine by adenosine deaminase in RBCs, lung and myocardial tissue, adenosine accumulation results in maximal coronary vasodilation, reversed by aminophylline. 1/2-life 30-45 minutes, sx last for approximately 25 minutes.
Dose = (142 mcg/kg/min) over 4 minutes
S/E = 50% side effects (flushing, dyspnea, chest pain, headache, dizziness and hypotension), less frequent than adenosine of last for much longer time.
Adv/ = 1.Intense coronary vasodilation, 2.Easy, safe, Few side effects, 3.Achieve increased coronary flow in patients who cannot adequate or maximal treadmill response/
Dis = Absence of diagnostic information associated with exercise, 2.Induces flow disparity, not ischemia, 3.Cannot correlate symptoms with myocardial perfusion, 4.May detect stenosis of 30-50% of doubtful clinical significance, 5. Gives only a Yes/No answer (does the patient have CAD?),
Dobutamine
MOA = Direct β1, β2 agonist with chronotropic, iontropic and increased contractility, 1/2-life 2 minutes
Dose = 5-10 mcg/kg/min,which is increased at 3-minute intervals to 20, 30, and 40 mcg/kg/min. Can augment with atropine 0.25-0.5 mg IVq2min to 2 mg
S/E = 75% side effects (palpitations, chest pain, headache, flushing and dizziness), significant arrhythmias including supraventricular or ventricular tachyarrhythmias (10%). Ischemic ST depression (1/3). Severe side effects require short-acting beta blocker infusion (esmolol 0.5 mg / kilogram over 1 minute)
Adv: 1.Can be performed on those patients with inability to stress and those who have severe asthma, 2.Short half life
Disadv: 1.Difficult protocol, 2.Often patients do not reach target with dobutamine alone and atropine is required, 3.S/E very common
Atropine:
1/2-life of 2-3 hours
0.25-0.5 mg IV, q2min to a max of 2 mg.
SOB, palpitation, headache, anxiety, nausea, dyspnea
Only used in conjunction with Dobutamine
Rogadenoson
Low affinity receptor agonist of A2A, low if any A2B and A3. Max 1-4 minutes, 1/2-life 3 phases; phase 1, 2-3 minutes, phase 2, 30 minutes which is when sx resolve, phase 3, 2 hours
5 ml, 0.4 mg in 10 s
Most common flushing, headache, dyspnea; most common chest pain, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain. Conduction abnormalities 26%,1st degree heart block 3%, 2nd degree 0.1%. Most side effects last 15 minutes with headache 30 minutes.
1.Simple protocol, bolus injection, 2. More specific MOA, S/E less common than either above/1.S/E more perisistent, up to 20 minutes aminophylline required, 2.No exercise, 3.Cost
Questions on the mechanism of uptake of caffeine, the peak time of caffeine concentration in blood, what the effect of caffeine is on diapridimole, and what drugs increase the half time of caffeine in the blood stream.
Mechanism: competitive inhibition adenosine receptor
Peak time: 1h
T1/2: 6h
Medications that increase t1/2: liver disease, pregnancy, OCP’s, and cimetidine
Vasodilatation impaired as low as 0.6 mg/L
Classes of medications that interfere with MPI, causes
Aminophylline or other methylxanthine-containing medications
o Methylxanthines (aminophylline and caffeine) antagonize dipyridamole and adenosine
Vasodilators
o Nitrates and persantine
Controversial, may reduce sensitivity
o Beta-blockers and CCB
Describe coronary steal syndrome. Next part was – name two causes of coronary steal syndrome and describe one cause.
more significant dilation of normal arteries results in a further disparity of flow between normal and stenotic vessels (less response of diseased vessel to vasodilator)
May cause ischemia.
Pharmacologic stress - vasodilation
Hypotension
Any agent that causes a primary (Adenosine, Regadenoson) or secondary (Persantine) coronary vasodilatation can cause coronary steal.
Describe the dobutamine protocol with atropine. What are the effects of dobutamine on blood pressure and heart rate?
Patient prep
o Stop β blockers, CCBs and nitrates 24h
o Fast >4h (2h for ASNC)
o Connect EKG, check resting 12-lead
Escalating dose
o 5 ug/kg/min x 3 min iv (start with 5-10 ug/kg/min), then 20, 30, 40
o 10 ug/kg/min x 3 min iv
o 20 ug/kg/min x 3 min iv
o 30 ug/kg/min x 3 min iv
o 40 ug/kg/min x 3 min iv
o Inject at target HR (85% max age predicted HR) & continue dobutamine for 2 minutes
o If submaximal HR at maximum dose of dobutamine, augment with atropine 0.25-0.5 mg (ASNC; 0.5-1mg for other guidelines) IV q 2 min to a max dose of 2mg
↑ HR & BP increase (chronotropic & inotropic)
What are the indications for persantine versus dobutamine versus exercice in MPI
• Persantine : o Cannot exercise o LBBB, WPW o Pacemaker (with LBBB configuration always on) o Risk stratification 2-4 days post MI
Dobutamine
o Unable to exercise and have contraindications to adenosine (severe reactive airway disease)
o Can do with AV block
4 contraindications for atropine
Glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy/obstructive uropathy, acute MI (potentiate arrhythmias), tachyarrythmias
What do you do if during a persantine or dobutamine MPI, the patient develops ST depressions?
Persantine: wait 2 to 3 minutes post injection of MIBI and inject aminophyline IV and use nitro as required. Monitor EKG for improvement.
• Dobutamine: try to continue dobutamine perfusion for 2 to 3 minutes post injection of tracer • Terminate Dobutamine Test if : o Max predicted HR achieved o Severe chest pain, side effects o ST depression ≥ 2mm o ST elevation ≥ 1mm with no Q wave o Significant arrhythmias o BP ≥ 240/120 mm Hg o Systolic BP drop ≥ 40 mm Hg
What do you do if during a dipyridamole stress test a patient develops rapid atrial fibrillation > 160bpm?
Contact cardiology right away to come see the patient Stop dipyridamole Give amino 125 mg IV Get vitals, ECG, O2 Give diltiazem 20mg IV over 2 min
What is the steal phenomenon? Give 2 examples of steal phenomena and mechanism of one.
Steal phenomenon occurs when you get ↓ blood flow distal to a stenosis during vasodilation and re-direction to a vessel capable of vasodilation.
Coronary artery steal following administration of persantine.
Cerebrovascular steal following administration of diamox
Mechanism: healthy vessels dilate while diseased vessels are unable to, hence the blood follows the path of least resistance. The flow through the healthy vessels increases, while the flow through diseased vessels decreases (steal).
Next question was on the AHA, ABNM or American Board of Nuclear Cardiology position paper on attenuation correction. What other three procedures should be performed on the acquisition data?
motion correction
scatter correction
resolution recovery (to correct for depth-dependent spatial resolution)
EKG shows LBBB. What stress protocols do you use? What artifacts are associated with exercise stress protocol and why?
LBBB:
o QRS >0.12s
o Monophasic R waves in V1-V6, with inverted T-wave
Stress: vasodilator
Artifacts with exercise: ↓septal perfusion on MPI
Causes
o Impaired early diastolic flow in LAD due to asynchronous and delayed systolic septal contraction
o Tachycardia also ↓ diastolic filling time post-exercise/dobutamine stress, causing reversible anteroseptal perfusion defect
Causes of fixed defects on 20 minute/4 hour thallium.
On a rest-redistribution study, a fixed defect could represent infarction or ischemia
Two further tests
o Stress MPI should be performed: either exercise or pharmacologic, with Tc-99m-MIBI, Rb-82, or another perfusion tracer
o Re-injection
o FDG viability
What is the function of prone imaging in MPI, how does it work, why isn’t it done all the time?
Prone imaging improves the specificity for inferior wall ischemia by minimizing diaphragmatic attenuation.
This approach can limit throughput and efficiency and can create FP anterior, anteroseptal and lateral wall defects.
list 4 techniques or reading methods to deal with breast attenuation artifact
1.Breast binding (Practical nuclear medicine, pg.164)
2.Attenuation correction, assess the rotating raw planar projection images to confirm
3.NH3 PET, less likely to suffer from attenuation artefact (works for obese people)
4.Ensure that breasts are in the same position on both sets of images and if they are a fixed anterior wall defect with no other defects are likely to be secondary to breast attenuation especially in females
5.Assess for normal regional wall motion.
Suspecting a breast attenuation artifact in anterolateral wall, what would you do to confirm?
Inspect raw images Breast-up imaging Assess wall motion post-stress and at rest SPECT-CT with CT attenuation correction Consider prone imaging
Next question was a table asking to fill in the blanks for the appearance on a rubidium and FDG PET study for the following: ischemia, stun myocardium, hibernating myocardium and infarct.
ischemia - increased FDG, reversible rubidium
hibernating - increased FDG, fixed rubidium
infarct - decreased FDG, fixed rubidium
Describe 2 clinical situations when stunning may occur.
Post PTCA or thrombolysis for acute MI
Post cardioplegic arrest during open heart surgery
Unstable angina
After exercise induced ischemia
Define hibernating myocardium. Define Stunned myocardium. In which clinical situation is detection of hibernating myocardium important? Why?
- Stunned myocardium – reversible myocardial contractile dysfunction, in the presence of myocardial blood flow that was recently impaired but has normalized.
- After attacks of unstable angina
- After Exercise induced ischemia
- Post PTCA or thrombolysis for acute MI
- Post cardioplegic arrest during open heart surgery
- Hibernating myocardium – impaired LV contractility as a result of reduced resting coronary blood flow (flow-contraction match).
- Theory: hibernation results from repetitive stunning.
- Repetitive stunning → ↓ coronary flow reserve → ↓ resting blood flow.
- Myocytes become partially de-differentiated: loss of myofibrils, ↑ glycogen
Mechanisms for wall motion abnormalities in stunned myocardium?
Abnormal energy utilization by myofibrils
Production of cytotoxic oxygen free radicals
Altered calcium flux
Accumulation of neutrophils in previously ischemic tissue
What’s the normal lung/heart ratio for 201Tl and SestaMIBI, respectively?
0.5 and 0.45.
Questions on 20 segment vs. 17 segment model, which is better?
20 segment model has 2 segments in apex and 6 in distal segments
17 segment model has 1 segment in apex, 4 periapical segments and 6 in distal segments
20 segment model over-represents the apex and distal myocardium (giving it 40% of myocardial area), while the 17-model is more representative of true geometry of the LV.
Define SDS, SSS, SRS and gradation and indicate what they measure. How many segments are in the widely accepted polar model?
Post stress and rest perfusion images are scored using a 17 or 20 segment, 5-point model (0= normal; 1= mildly reduced uptake; 2= moderately reduced uptake; 3= severely reduced uptake; 4=absent uptake) compared to sex matched normal database
summed stress score (SSS) combines extent and severity of perfusion abnormalities into a single measure and it has been shown to provide risk stratification
Exact recall question: Define Sum stress score, Sum difference score and their significance. What is Transient ischemic dilatation and its significance?
SSS: summed stress score, sum of all parametric stress scores from the 17 segment polar map.
o Good predictor of annual MI risk
SRS: summed rest score, sum of all parametric rest scores from the 17 segment polar map.
SDS: summed difference score, calculated by SSS – SRS. Best indicator of future risk of non-fatal MI.
TID: Transient ischemic LV cavity dilation – apparent larger LV cavity volume at stress compared to rest.
o Abnormal TID > 1.22 for men, > 1.3 for women.
o Mechanism is subendocardial ischemia more often than actual dilation.
o Powerful predictor of high-risk CAD and multivessel disease.
o TID thresholds are actually depend on whether dual isotope or single isotope, and are probably also different for PET
Best predictor of cardiac death for nuclear imaging?
LVEF
Five features of severe abnormal perfusion study:
TID ratio > 1.22 (dual isotope exercise)
LHR > 0.5 (MIBI)
EF decreases by 10% on the post stress study
SSS > 13
ESV >70 ml
TID, ↑LHR, >2 vessels affected, EF<30%, SSS>12.
List five criteria for a high risk myocardial perfusion imaging study.
TID ratio > 1.22 (dual isotope exercise) LHR > 0.5 (MIBI) EF decreases by 10% on the post stress study SSS > 13 ESV >70 ml multivessel distribution Abnormal resting LVEF Transient ↑ RV uptake post-stress
Cardiac death rate after low-risk, intermediate risk, and high risk studies. Justification for low-risk definition?
low risk definition:
o SSS 4-8
o small perfusion defect (1 segment LV)
The subsequent rate of re-infarction/death in this group was 1.8% and coronary revascularization did not improve outcome in this group compared to medical therapy.
Low risk <1%, medium risk 1-3%, high risk >3%. Low risk is 1% because this is the mortality rate from angioplasty.
What are the figures associated with low, moderate, and high cardiac risk? What is the basis of these figures?
Normal / near normal (SSS < 4), < 1% cardiac event 1st year
Mildly abnormal (SSS 4-8) suggests low risk
Prognostic: 0.8% cardiac death; 2.5% for MI in 1st year
Moderately abnormal (SSS 9-13) suggests moderate risk
Prognostic: 2.3% cardiac death & 2.9% for MI in 1st year
Severely abnormal (SSS >13) suggests high risk
Prognostic: 2.9% cardiac death & 4.2% for MI in 1st year
List 8 prognostic factors on a gated perfusion study
LVEF < 35-40%, and decrease in EF post-stress >10%
SSS > 13 / SDS > 7-8
LV volume – ESV > 70ml
elevated TID
Elevated lung heart ratio
number of reversible defects (multi-vessel disease)
size & severity of reversible defects (amount of ischemic myocardium)
extent of fixed defects (amount of infracted myocardium)
Reversible defects in the left main coronary artery territory
What percent myocardium ischemic is associated with increase in survival after revascularization
Patients with moderate to severe ischemia involving more than 10% of the myocardium have been shown to have an increased survival benefit from revascularization compared to medical therapy alone
Significance of a normal or near-normal MIBI on cardiac event rate within next year. Name 4 subgroups in which the event rate is actually higher despite a normal pattern
Patients with adequate exercise stress and a normal perfusion exam have an overall annualized cardiac event (MI or cardiac death) rate of less than 0.5-2% per year. However, even if the perfusion scan is normal, it has been demonstrated that the cardiac death or non-fatal infarction rate is higher:
o previously document coronary artery disease (2% / year)
o pharmacologic stress (2% / year)
o diabetes mellitus (2-3 % / year)
o male gender
o increasing age
Causes of false positive MIBI with normal angiography
AM’s list: o Normal variant (diaphragmatic, breast or pacemaker attenuation) o Mitral valve prolapse o Valvular heart disease (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation) o LBBB o Idiopathic subaortic stenosis o Hypertensive myocardial hypertrophy o Cardiac contusion o Infiltrating myocardial disease o Cardiomyopathy (dilated & hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) o Bland-White-Garland (LCA from PA) o Coronary spasm o Myocardial bridge o Myocarditis
Question asking for eight causes of a false negative exercise stress test
False negative FOR EXERCISE (NOT MPI)
o Unable to reach target heart rate/submaximal effort
o Single ECG monitoring(will miss the inferior wall)
o Physical training lead to decreased ECG changes even at maximal stress
o B-blocker therapy(insufficient heart rate response, less ECG changes)
o Calcium channel blockers
o Nitrates (fewer ischemic changes)
o Resting ST depression
o RBBB
False negative for Thallium MPI study
o Beta blocker/CCB o “Balanced” ischemia and left main stenosis o Insufficient luminal obstruction o Inadequate stress o Poor technique Infiltrated dose Inadequate dose Delay in imaging at stress (allowing redistribution) o Adjacent activity Liver Breast low angle scatter
Significance of right ventricular free wall uptake on rest 201Tl study in child. 2 causes of this
Cardiac cause
o left sided heart failure
o pulmonic valve stenosis
Pulmonary parenchymal disease
Pulmonary vascular disease
o PE
o primary pulmonary hypertension
What are 3 causes of RV dilated hypertrophy on MIBI?
Cor pulmonale L-R shunt RV infarct Congestive cardiomyopathy Pulmonic valve stenosis
Comparison of first pass extraction of myocardial perfusion imaging agents
MIBI: 65%
201Tl: 85%
82Rb: 50-70% (rest), 25-40% (high flow rate)
13NH3: 83% (1 ml/g/min), 69% (3 ml/g /min)
Name two most common perfusion agents for cardiac PET.
Rubidium-82
o generator produced (Strontium-82 (T1/2=25.5 days) – EC -> Rb-82)
o T1/2 75 s
o Positron range 5.5 mm
o potassium analog, need active Na/K-ATPase pump for intracellular transport
o least accurate because of poor extraction at high flow rates and relatively worse spatial resolution
N-13 ammonia o Cyclotron produced o T1/2 10 mins o Positron range 0.4 mm o Extraction is non-linear at high flow states (under-estimate flow)
O-15 water o Cyclotron produced o T1/2 2 mins o Positron range 1.1 mm o theoretically superior to N-13 ammonia because freely diffusible with virtually complete myocardial extraction that’s independent of flow rate and myocardial metabolic state.
What is uptake mechanism of N-13 ammonia and what’s the rate limiting step?
Mechanisms:
o Blood flow
o Passive diffusion (NH3)
o Active transport (NH4+) by Na/K ATPase pump
o Trapping by incorporation into glutamate glutamine by glutamine synthase
Rate limiting step
o At high flow rates, metabolic trapping is rate limiting step
Of Rb-82, F-18 FDG, N-13 ammonia, what has the greatest
Half life
Soft tissue range-
Myocardial extraction
Half life-FDG (110 minutes)>13N (10 minutes)>82Rb (75s)
Soft tissue range-Rb-82 (14 mm)
Myocardial extraction-13N ammonia
3 reasons why H215O is better than 13NH2 and 82Rb (In perfusion cardiac imaging, list three physical or physiological reasons why it is superior to N-13 NH3 and Rb-82.
o Freely diffusible perfusion tracer
o 95% extraction by myocardium (maintained at very high flow rates)
o Not affected by metabolic factors
o Simple blood flow estimation using 1-compartment model
Describe the currently preferred method of flow quantification using 15NH3 (Quantitative NH3 cardiac PET – how performed?)
Reconstructed dynamic PET data analyzed to sample RV and LV blood pool as well as LV myocardium to derive the blood pool and tissue time activity curves
Time activity curve in each voxel modeled as a combination of 3 contributions: compartment analysis, which for N-13 ammonia is with a previously validated 3-compartment model, and contributions from RV and LV blood pools
Kinetic analysis performed, with parametric mapping of the LV myocardium into a 17-segment polar map
How do you obtain C11 labelled carbon monoxide? What is it used for? How is it administered? What is the target (radiation) organ?
14N(p,α) 11CO2, which can be reduced to 11CO
Used to label blood pool and subtract from 15O-H2O cardiac perfusion study
Critical organ: lung
A 50 yo patient has a normal sestamibi scan however, with EKG changes. What is the risk of a poor outcome, CAD?
With exercise stress - there is a 4% annual event rate. Repeat testing in 1 year.
With pharm stress – there is a 10% annual event rate (7%)
A pre-op mibi shows large reversible LAD lesion in a female. Implications?
This patient is at high risk of MI during the surgery.
Patient will need further characterization of coronary anatomy by coronary angiography.
The stenosis will then need to be repaired either by stenting or CABG
What is the improvement in survival rate in medically treated patients versus patients with coronary artery stent?
In patients with stable coronary artery disease, there is no improvement in non-fatal MI or survival between patients who were treated with optimal medical therapy (including lifestyle modification) and patients who were treated with PCI.
Ref: COURAGE Trial, NEJM 2007.
List 3 causes of unstable angina.
Non-occlusive thrombus forming on a pre-existing atherosclerotic plaque (due to ruptured fibrous cap)
Prinzmetal angina - coronary artery spasm – due to cocaine, cold weather, emotional stress, nicotine.
Mechanical obstruction without thrombus (restenosis of stent, progressive atherosclerosis)
Arterial infection or inflammation (vasculitis)
What are 4 causes of LBBB? What would you see on a wall motion study?
- CAD, MI
- Hypertension, LVH
- Aortic valve disease
- Cardiomyopathy, myocarditis
- Post-cardiac surgery
- Pacemaker (LBBB configuration)
• Motion Abnormalities :
o Asynchronous and delayed systolic septal contraction
o paradoxical motion of septum toward the RV during LV systole.
A) Among patients having reversible thallium perfusion defects, those with overt angina have a higher risk of complications (unstable angina, infarction, death) than those without angina.
B) In the follow-up of patients with acute myocardial infarction, antimyosin antibody studies
become negative before those done with Tc-99m Pyrophosphate.
C) Rubidium-82 emission tomography/dipyridamole perfusion imaging is more sensitive than
Thallium-201 dipyridamole perfusion imaging for detection of cardiac ischemia.
D) Right ventricular ejection fraction obtained by the first pass technique is typically greater
than that obtained by the equilibrium blood pool technique.
E) Glucose metabolism studies with F-18 deoxyglucose (FDG) in patients under fasting
conditions, suggest that glucose utilization in viable ischemic myocardium cannot be
suppressed to the same extent as in normal myocardium.
F) An important limitation in the detection of viable ischemic myocardium with FDG in fasting
patients is that fasting does not consistently suppress glucose utilization in normal
myocardium resulting in interpretable images in only 50% of cases.
G) In diabetic patients, insulin administration to control plasma-glucose levels does not
improve the diagnostic quality of imaging with FDG.
H) Regarding diastolic function, the PFR normalized for EDV decreases with increasing
age.
I) The PFR normalized for EDV decreases with decreasing heart rate. (TRUE)
J) The TPFR decreases with increasing heart rate.
A) Among patients having reversible thallium perfusion defects, those with overt angina have a higher risk of complications (unstable angina, infarction, death) than those without angina.
(TRUE)
B) In the follow-up of patients with acute myocardial infarction, antimyosin antibody studies
become negative before those done with Tc-99m Pyrophosphate. (FALSE)
C) Rubidium-82 emission tomography/dipyridamole perfusion imaging is more sensitive than
Thallium-201 dipyridamole perfusion imaging for detection of cardiac ischemia. (TRUE)
D) Right ventricular ejection fraction obtained by the first pass technique is typically greater
than that obtained by the equilibrium blood pool technique. (TRUE)
E) Glucose metabolism studies with F-18 deoxyglucose (FDG) in patients under fasting
conditions, suggest that glucose utilization in viable ischemic myocardium cannot be
suppressed to the same extent as in normal myocardium. (TRUE)
F) An important limitation in the detection of viable ischemic myocardium with FDG in fasting
patients is that fasting does not consistently suppress glucose utilization in normal
myocardium resulting in interpretable images in only 50% of cases. (TRUE)
G) In diabetic patients, insulin administration to control plasma-glucose levels does not
improve the diagnostic quality of imaging with FDG. (FALSE)
H) Regarding diastolic function, the PFR normalized for EDV decreases with increasing
age. (TRUE)
I) The PFR normalized for EDV decreases with decreasing heart rate. (TRUE)
J) The TPFR decreases with increasing heart rate. (TRUE)
Match the following Tc-sestamibi cardiac defects with the following error:
I – Wrong selection of horizontal long axis
II – Head of camera is not parallel with axis of rotation
III – wrong selection of vertical long axis
- Inferior defect
- Anterior defect
- Lateral defect
- Septal defect
- Small high septal defect
- Small inferior defect)
- No artifact
- Inferior defect - (I)
- Anterior defect - (I)
- Lateral defect - (III)
- Septal defect - (III)
- Small high septal defect - (II)
- Small inferior defect - (II)
- No artifact
What is the incidence of RV involvement when an inferior MI is present? What is the significance of severe RV infarction?
50%.
RV infarction results in increased incidence of CHF and PE.
Volume loading may be necessary to maintain cardiac output.
Why should patients fast or limit their glucose intake between post-exercise and redistribution phase of Tl-201 myocardial perfusion images?
insulin drives Tl-201 into myocardial cells, which causes defects that would normally redistribute by 4 hours to appear non-reversible.
Gastric distension can elevate the diaphragm accentuating attenuation artifacts.
List 3 causes of elevated post exercise pulmonary Tl-201.
LV dysfunction during exercise due to coronary or non-coronary disease. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation LV hypertrophy with decreased compliance Poor exercise level Smoking
After IV injection of 201Tl at peak exercise, what 2 factors determine initial myocardial uptake?
Flow
viability
On the Graph below, draw the time activity curve of Tl-201 from the time of injection to 4 hours for each of the following:
SEE NOTES PG 262
Outline 2 radionuclide techniques to detect limb ischemia in a patient with intermittent claudication.
Tc-MIBI stress and rest protocol – assess relative perfusion
Thallium stress and rest protocol – assess relative perfusion
Tc-RBC – blood pool imaging
Indications for gated cardiac blood-pool imaging
o Quantifying parameters of ventricular function (e.g., ejection fraction, wall motion, ventricular volume, cardiac output, diastolic function)
o Detecting the presence, location, and extent of coronary artery disease
o Assessing whether congestive heart failure is due to ischemic or nonischemic causes
o Evaluating and monitoring potential cardiotoxic effects of cancer chemotherapy
On MUGA, how are amplitude and phase images obtained?
Amplitude = (max counts – min counts) per pixel.
Phase = Fourier Transfer applied to each pixel, Each pixel’s cosine curve is characterized by amplitude and relationship to time of onset of cardiac cycle (R Wave). Cardiac cycle is mapped over 360°.
Why do some gated studies show a flicker or pixilated image at the end?
Fewer counts in the last bin due to R-R beat variation.
Explain forward and backward gating in MUGA analysis.
Cardiac cycle is arbitrarily divided into a fixed number of frames (usually 16-32) and the data from each cycle are divided up and stored in individual frame memory bins
Forward gating – assign frame 1 to R-wave.
Reverse gating - Last frame is assigned to end on the R wave: end-diastolic portion of the TAC is protected
Draw a TAC for LV and label: isovolumetric contraction, isovolumetric relaxation, systole, rapid diastolic filling, slow diastolic filling, atrial contraction.
SEE NOTES PAGE 264
Will these beats be rejected or accepted: Beat preceding PVC, PVC, and beat following PVC (exam can also say “extrasystolic beat” instead of “PVC”)? Which EKG wave is used for gating?
List mode collection:
Beat preceding PVC = R; PVC = R; beat following PVC = Accept
Post-beat filtration:
Beat preceding PVC = A; PVC = R; following PVC = A
Dynamic beat filtering:
Same as list mode
What is the relationship between the EF calculated on myocardial perfusion imaging studies and that determined using radionuclide angiography? Explain why this is the case.
MUGA
o Based on planar count data: fewer assumptions need to be made about cardiac volumes to calculate an LVEF
o Also higher temporal resolution gating (16 bins/cardiac cycle)
Gated SPECT MPI
o Requires algorithms to detect endocardial surfaces and valve plane estimated based on flat surface at base of heart
MUGA > perfusion SPECT > angiography
List 6 things that can cause an increased EF at rest
small volume of left ventricle incorrect contour of LV any high-flow state o anemia o sepsis o hyperthyroid hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Acquisition protocol for MUGA. Give matrix size and pixel depth in bits
No special patient preparation is necessary
administer labeled autologous RBC with 15-30 mCi activity
LEAP or high-resolution parallel hole collimator
64 x 64 matrix – pixel depth = 4096 bits
appropriate ECG gating, selection of beat acceptance window
minimum 16 frames / R-R interval, up to 32-64 for assessment of diastolic function
Typically 200,000 to 250,000 counts per frame should be acquired for a rest study to be statistically reliable for evaluation of wall motion.
LAO, anterior and lateral views
3 phases of diastole
Isovolumetric relaxation phase – closure of AV to opening of MV
Early rapid filling phase: atrial blood fills ventricles rapidly after MV opening (60-80% of normal diastolic flow)
Slow/passive filling (Diastasis): slow filling from peripheral veins/lungs(equilibration of pressure between LA & LV, < 5% blood flow)
Atrial kick/contraction: filling from atrial kick (normal 10-20%, may be up to 25-30% in LVH)
Name 6 causes of diastolic dysfunction
Normal aging HTN LVH due to aortic stenosis Coronary artery disease CHF restrictive cardiomyopathy (infiltrative diseases – amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, hemochromatosis) mitral stenosis Medications: e.g., doxorubicin
Explain the parameters used to evaluate diastolic function:
PFR: peak filling rate: normal >2.5 EDV cnts/s
tPFR: time to peak filling: normal <180 ms
AFR: atrial filling rate: normal 1.0 EDV counts/s
PFR/AFR ratio: assess early rapid filling vs. late (Atrial) filling of LV. Normal ratio >2.5
Filling fraction: % of filling that has occurred at 1/3, ½ and 2/3 diastole
Name 5 causes of cardiomyopathy
Ischemia Hypertension Viral Alcoholic Drug-induced (Adriamycin) Stress cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo) Infiltrative: amyloidosis, sarcoidosis
Dose BELOW which no chronic cardiotoxicity occurs with doxorubicin.
Acute:
o Appears after an infusion of doxorubicin, seen between 4 & 24 hours, with significant recovery by 72 hours
Chronic:
o Dose dependent and less reversibility
o the incidence increases beyond a cumulative dose of 400 mg/m2
Pre-treatment LVEF stopping criteria
> 50% EF falls > 10% to a value below 50%
< 50% EF falls > 10% OR below 30%
< 30% DO NOT start therapy
Describe list mode acquisition in gated study. What is the advantage of this over frame mode?
List mode:
o digitized X and Y signals are time stamped as they are received in sequence and they are stored as individual events in the order they occur.
o After completion of data acquisition, the data can be sorted to form images in a variety of ways to suit a specific need (data manipulation by changing matrix size, time of acquisition per frame, rejection of bad gated data)
Advantages: wide flexibility, allows retrospective framing of data
Data can be sorted after acquisition to form images in a variety of ways to suit a specific need
Physiologic markers, eg start of cardiac cycle in a gated study, can be incorporated and bad signals from arrhythmic cycles can be discarded
o Disadvantage:
Larger memory requirement
Longer processing time
Unavailability of images during or immediately after study completion
Frame mode:
o a matrix is chosen to approximates the entire area of the detector so a position (X,Y) in the detector corresponds to a pixel position in the matrix
o digitized signals (X,Y) are stored in the corresponding (X,Y) position in the matrix and subsequent signals are added
o Advantage: provides instant images for storage and display
o Must specify time of data collection per frame or total counts. Acquisition continues until a preselected time or total count is reached.
Next question was a table relating to edge detection in cardiac tomography, including things like the dodge analogue and the stinson (or something) analogue, plus gaussian analysis. Again, complete broadside for us.
Dodge-Sandler method: analogue method for manual edge detection and tracing for calculating areas and deriving %stenosis from coronary angiography
Gaussian fitting (quantitative gated SPECT analysis): method to locate the mid-myocardial surface by fitting the count profiles from the perfusion data to asymmetric Gaussian curves
Laplace operator: second derivative zero-crossing analytical method for edge detection
4 causes of halo sign on MUGA.
pericardial effusion and or hemopericardium
breast tissue or breast prosthesis attenuation artifact
epicardial/pericardial fat pads
mediastinal infiltrate
pneumomediastinum
mediastinal fibrosis
What are the guidelines for serial monitoring of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity?
Baseline exam before initiation chemotherapy or prior to 100 mg/m2; follow-up 3 weeks after last dose, before next planned treatment
Baseline LVEF >=50%; second study after 240-300 mg/m2; repeat exam after 400 mg/m2 with known heart disease, hypertension, radiation exposure, ECG findings, or cyclophosphamide therapy; or repeat after 450 mg/m2 without risk factors
Baseline 30-50%: repeat study before each dose
What entities are associated with a increased peak filling rate (PFR)?
Constrictive pericarditis (occasionally)
Mitral regurgitation
Medications: CCBs
Two causes of rest thallium reverse redistribution:
Technical Myocardial infarction with viable stunned myocardium Hypertension Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Coronary artery spasm
Resting reverse redistribution with thallium-201 uptake is caused by the increased washout of thallium-201 uptake in reperfused myocardium, such as stunned myocardium
In these myocardial segments, interstitial edema after injury also is responsible for increased thallium-201 influx and early washout, resulting in reverse redistribution
List three protocols for thallium viability imaging:
Rest-redistribution: image @10 min (Rest), 3-4h (redistribution)
Stress-redistribution: image @10 min (post-stress), 3-4h (redistribution)
Stress-late redistribution: image @10 min (post-stress), 24h (late redistribution)
Stress-redistribution-reinjection: image @10min (post-stress), 2-3h (redistribution), then reinject 1 mCi 201Tl, then image 30 min later (reinjection)
List 4 causes of generalized reduced myocardial thallium-201 washout during myocardial
scintigraphy after treadmill exercise.
extensive coronary artery disease
Infiltrated dose
Imaged too soon
Insufficient effort
Re-innervation pattern of the heart post - transplant based on MIBG study
Anterolateral base of heart -> spread to apex
MIBG uptake: anterior, anterolateral and septal regions
o Only recover 25% of normal innervation
o With ↑ time after transplantation, MIBG heart-to-mediastinum uptake ratio ↑
Question on metabolic substrate of choice in fasting for the heart. Next part was – after a carbohydrate load, what percent of cardiac metabolism is derived from glucose?
free fatty acids
variable - depends on insulin levels; if not diabetic then ~ 70 %
A patient presents with CHF. Resting MIBi and FDG studies indicate the presence of extensive hibernating myocardium. How do you prepare the patient for a FDG cardiac viability study? Compare the sensitivity and specificity of thallium to dobutamine echo
Oral glucose loading – for non-diabetic patients
Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamping - simultaneous infusion of glucose and insulin to achieve perfect metabolic regulation
Administration of nicotinic acid derivatives - inhibits peripheral lipolysis and thereby reduces circulating free fatty acids
TI201 more sensitive; Dobutamine echo more specific
201Tl vs. dobutamine echo vs FDG
Rest-redistrib TI-201 Sn = 85%; Sp = 60
FDG Sn = 92; Sp = 60
Dobutamine echo Sn = 80; Sp = 80
Three ways of preparing patients for FDG myocardial study:
hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp (insulin 100 mU/kg/hr; glucose/K+ solution)
oral glucose loading (50 - 100 g, sliding scale insulin if diabetic)
nicotinic acid derivatives (Acipimox 250mg 2 hrs prior to FDG)
Normal perfusion but decreased FDG-PET not uncommonly seen. Significance? 4 causes.
- Recent MI (there is variable metabolism with a return to oxidative metabolism even in patients receiving clamping for prep)
- Artifact (always a good answer)
- LBBB (the cause is not totally clear however one group noted normal 11C-acetate metabolism, therefore this implies shift to oxidative metabolism, even though the patients in the above study were prepped with clamping)
o 4. Multivessel disease/ischemic cardiomyopathy (variable metabolic patterns again are the anticipated cause)
o 5. Diabetes (heterogenous uptake can often be seen in diabetics, likely due to insulin insensitivity)
Significance:
o The reverse mismatch pattern is seen almost as commonly as the “classic” pattern, and it seems to indicate viable, but jeopardiazed myocardium.
11C acetate vs. 11C palmitate in myocardial imaging - mechanisms of action and which is the best for viability studies
Palmitate:
o Assess viability through fatty acid metabolism
o Uptake decreased in ischemic myocardium (myocardium shifts to glucose)
Acetate:
o Direct substrate for TCA cycle by conversion to acetyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA synthetase
o Preferred as uptake not affected by plasma substrate concentration
2 PET tracers for myocardial viability. Describe how they work.
F-18 FDG (glucose metabolism)
o Glucose metabolism by the heart is dependent on both dietary state and the level of ischemia.
o Glucose or FDG uptake is promoted by elevated glucose/ insulin levels.
o Ischemic, but viable myocardium uses glucose in preference to other substrates.
o Hibernating myocardium will show FDG-avidity.
o Scar tissue will not be metabolically active and will not show FDG-avidity.
o Uptake can be used to distinguish viable myocardium from non-viable (scarred) myocardium.
C-11 Acetate or C-11 Palmitate
substrate for tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and assesses cellular oxidative metabolism, essential for viable cells.
C-11 acetate is NOT affected by plasma substrate concentration like C-11 palmitate. (C-11 acetate preferred; best for regional metabolic activity)
infarct – decreased uptake and delayed clearance
List the tracers used to evaluate myocardial viability:
201Tl: cell viability, cell membrane activity, blood flow
99mTc-sestamibi: nitrate enhancement
18F-FDG: glucose metabolism
11C-acetate: reflects overall regional myocardial oxidative metabolism (oxygen consumption)
11C-palmitate
18F-FMISO: hypoxia imaging
Indications for first-pass cardiac imaging, myocardial infarction imaging and right-to-left shunt evaluation
First-Pass Cardiac Imaging
o Caculating left and right ventricular ejection fractions
o Assessing wall motion abnormalities
o Quantifying left-to-right cardiac shunts
o Measuring cardiac output and absolute ventricular chamber volumes
Myocardial Infarction Imaging
o Diagnosing and assessing the location and extent of acutely infarcted myocardium
Right-to-Left Shunt Evaluation
o Detecting and quantifying right-to-left shunts using radiolabeled particles
In study of left-to-right shunt with first pass method, if the bolus is fragmented is the result accurate? Is there anything you can do to save the study?
Not accurate
To save:
o Deconvolution
o Equilibrium L-R shunt quantitation based on RV and LV stroke volumes
o Repeat with double the dose
Describe three analytic methods for assessing left-to-right shunt using first pass method
γ-variate method (preferred) - the right lung TAC is fitted with a gamma variate function, which has a rapid upslope and exponential decay.
o Shunt component area = pulmonary - systemic blood flow.
o Size of shunt is determined by Qp/Qs = A1 / (A1 – A2) = 1 / 1 – K (shunt % = K)
o mild shunt Qp/Qs = 1.2-2.0, moderate 2.0-3.0, large >3.0
o Can detect shunts reliably down to Qp/Qs of 1.2. Surgery warranted if > 2.0
Area Ratio method – a 1st order exponential curve is fitted to the right lung TAC curve.
o A – area under the curve from Cmax to 0.01Cmax
o B – area under the remainder of the curve, but above A
o The Ratio B/A closely approximates Qp/Qs.
C2/C1 method – using the right lung TAC, calculate :
o recirculation peak counts (C2) over initial peak counts (C1).
o C2/C1 > 0.45 = shunt.
o Problem – can’t do a proper quantification of the size of the shunt
What is the normal value of Qp/Qs ? Over what range is this measurement considered accurate?
Normal value is between 1 and 1.2.
Qp/Qs is accurate between 1.0 and 3.0.
What is the best time to image with Tc-pyrophosphate for a suspected MI. What is the earliest time to image with Tc-pyrophosphate for a suspected MI.
Mechanism: Pyrophosphate binds to mitochondrial calcium complexes and proteins in necrotic myocardium.
o Some residual blood flow necessary to deliver tracer to necrotic tissue (uptake highest peripherally)
Best time to inject: 15-20 mCi 24-72 hrs post infarct & image 1-2 hrs post injection (ANT, LAO, L LAT)
o First becomes positive 10-12 hours post infarct, highest sensitivity at 24-72 hours
o Maximal uptake at 48-72 hours with persistent abnormality seen up to 7 days out (normalizes by 2 weeks)
biventricular sign:
o intense biventricular uptake seen in amyloidosis
Myocardial uptake is non-specific: o Acute MI o Unstable angina o Valvular calcification (very focal) o Resuscitation / cardioversion o Myocarditis / pericarditis o Amyloid heart o cardiomyopathy
What causes diffuse uptake of pyrophosphate in the heart?
Amyloidosis sarcoidosis Myocarditis Radiation Cardiotoxic drugs (doxorubicin) Following cardioversion Delayed renal clearance unstable angina
C2005-56: What is the proposed mechanism for antimyosin antibody imaging? (In111-antimyosin)
binds to heavy chain of cardiac myosin, exposed with disruption of cell membrane after infarction
Causes of potential false positives on serum PTH levels. (4 false positives on lab values consistent with primary hyperparathyroidism)
(Hypocalcemia)
Rheumatoid factor
Lithium or thiazide diuretics
Tertiary hyperparathyroidism
What are the causes of hyperparathyroidism and the % in each case?
Adenomas - 85 - 90%
Hyperplasia - 10 - 15%
Carcinoma - < 1%
List five advantages of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy.
small scar
faster recovery time
less complications, smaller risk of hypoparathyroidism
shorter operation time, less anaesthesia required, less expensive
higher success rate
Case of one false positive and one false negative in parathyroid imaging.
false positive: thyroid adenoma, thyroid or lymph node malignancy, contamination
o AM has motion as most common
false negative: rapid washout (assess 15 minute image), too small, no significant uptake (only 85% sensitive)
Next question is give 2 techniques to increase the sensitivity of the parathyroid scan for detection of adenoma.
Add TcO4 or 123I scan (dual isotope study), and for TcO4 scan give perchlorate to wash out the gland. Suppress the thyroid gland with synthroid, before imaging with Tc-sestamibi. Use pinhole imaging or SPECT-CT
Name the most common cause of secondary hyperparathyroidism.
renal failure
C2005-8: Describe a way to decrease false negative findings in parathyroid imaging.
subtraction technique with TcO4 (more likely to rule out false positive images)
Pinhole images
SPECT +/- CT
Name three locations from where ectopic parathyroid is found in the body.
20 % anterior mediastinum (lower parathyroid glands derived from 3rd branchial cleft, same as thymus) - Thyrothymic tract is the most common
5-10 % posterior mediastinum
5 % intrathyroid
1 % carotid sheath
What are the 3 best PET tracers for parathyroid imaging?
F-18 FDG: conflicting results, Neumann found success that has not been replicated.
F-18 DOPA – not useful
C-11 methionine (best) – possibly better than sestamibi
List 4 clinical indications for parathyroid surgery in asymptomatic patients with hyperparathyroidism [woman with parathyroid adenoma]
Asymptomatic: o serum Ca2+ 1.0 mg/dL above upper limits of normal o 24 hour urine Ca2+ >= 400mg o ↓ creatine clearance > 30% o BMD T-score < -2.5 at any site o age < 50 years old
Symptomatic:
o Signs of calcium imbalance: nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, renal dysfunction, osteopenia with fracture, osteitis fibrosa cystica (brown tumor), any altered neurologic function
To what plasma proteins does T4 bind? What increases or decreases binding?
1. Thyroid binding globulin (75%) o Increased binding: Estrogen (pregnancy, OCP) Infectious hepatitis Biliary cirrhosis Genetic determination
o Decreased binding: Androgens and anabolic steroids Large doses of glucocorticoids Nephrotic syndrome Major systemic nonthyroidal illness Active acromegaly Chronic liver disease Drugs – Dilantin, tegretol Genetic determination
- Transthyretin (10-15%)
- Albumin (5-15%)
What is the mean half life of T4?
6.7 days
Four causes of decreased thyroid uptake in patients with hyperthyroidism:
sub-acute thyroiditis, iodine load i.e. iodinated contrast, exogenous thyroid hormone, struma ovarii or choriocarcinoma.
Three causes of increased thyroid uptake in patients with hypothyroidism:
Organification defect, peripheral resistance to thyroid hormone, PTU, recovery phase of sub-acute thyroiditis, iodine deficiency.
A thyroid scan with pertechnetate shows increased uptake, 6h thyroid uptake of 44% and increased TSH. Diagnosis?
If hypothyroid: iodine deficiency, dyshormonogenesis
If thyrotoxic: TSH producing adenoma
C2003-36: What’s the most common effect of lithium on thyroid? What’s the mechanism?
Lithium inhibits release of newly formed thyroid hormone, via not well characterized mechanisms (at supratherapeutic doses can inhibit Tg iodination and coupling reactions)
Explain Wolff-Chaikoff effect:
Iodine load causes paradoxical blocking of iodine incorporation into thyroid hormone and transient hypothyroid state. Iodination of fatty acids blocking the action of NADP oxidase is the main mechanism.
Protective mechanism
Explain Jod-Basedow effect:
Iodine load causes increased uptake and transient hyperthyroid state, usually in context of iodine deficient goiter
Define wolf Chaikoff, plummers, peroxidase deficiency, marine lenhart
Wolff-Chaikoff effect – a protective mechanism in which there is decreased formation and release of thyroid hormone in the presence of an excess of iodine
Plummer’s Disease = toxic multinodular goiter
Dyshormonogenesis results from a deficiency or absence of one or more of the enzymes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis or secretion. The most common is peroxidase deficiency which results in failure of organification of iodide to iodine. The perchlorate washout test will be positive.
Pendred’s syndrome (AR) – peroxidase deficiency (hypothyroidism + goiter) + sensorineural hearing loss
Marine-Lenhart syndrome – coexistence of TSH dependent nodule and Grave’s disease (cold on scan due to suppression)
Thyroid nodule: 3 risk factors that this may be cancer. 3 clinical findings concerning for thyroid cancer.
3 clinical findings concerning for thyroid cancer:
- Male sex, 2×
- Age under 20 and over 60
- History of radiation therapy
- Family history
- Lymph node enlargement
- Suspicious US characteristics
Differential for a cold nodule on thyroid scan?
Benign (80%) o Simple cyst o Adenomatous hyperplasia/colloid cyst/non-functioning follicular adenoma o Focal hemorrhage o Inflammatory o Parathyroid adenoma
Malignant (20%)
o Thyroid carcinoma
o Parathyroid adenoma/carcinoma
o Thyroid lymphoma
Question on dose for 131I and 123I uptake studies.
i-131
Principle photopeak - 364 keV
Dose (uptake) - 5-10 uCi
Dose to thyroid assuming 25% uptake - 1330 mRad/uCi
I-123
Photopeak - 159 keV
Dose (uptake) - 50 to 200 uCi
Dose to thyroid - 12 mRad/uCi
3 advantages of I-123 over I-131 for thyroid imaging
More ideal gamma emission for detection by NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal (159 keV vs. 364 keV)
Shorter half life (13.3h vs. 8d)
No beta emission to contribute to dose
Less thyroid stunning
Causes of dec raiu in hyperthyroid, list 4
Leakage
Thyroiditis
Iodine excess
Jod-basedow effect
Iodinated contrast
Amiodarone
Endogenous thyroid
Struma ovarii
Follicular thyroid CA with functional mets
Exogeneous thyroid
Facticious
Hyperthyroid, differential for
a) Increased RAI
b) Normal RAI
c) Decreased RAI
Hyperthyroid with increased RAI:
- Graves
- Large autonomously functioning nodule
- Hashitoxicosis
- Toxic MNG
- TSH producing adenoma
Hyperthyroid with Normal RAI:
- Toxic MNG
- PTU, Tapazol
- Graves with rapid turnover
Hyperthyroid with decreased RAI
- Thyroiditis (subacute, silent, post-partum)
- Expanded iodine pool
- Facticious
- Struma ovarii
Euthyroid, differential for:
a) Increased RAI
b) Normal RAI
c) Decreased RAI
Euthyroid with increased RAI
- Rebound after T4 or antithyroid drug withdrawal
- Subacute thyroiditis: recovery
- Hashimotos, early phase
Euthyroid with normal RAI
1. Normal
Euthyroid with decreased RAI
- Hashimotos
- iodine pool (contrast dye for CT)
Hypothyroid, differential for:
a) Increased RAI
b) Normal RAI
c) Decreased RAI
Hypothyroid with increased RAI
- Recovery phase of subacute thyroiditis
- Hashmotos
- Iodine deficient goitre
Hypothyroid with normal RAI
- Subaute thyroiditis early recovery
- Hashimoto’s
Hypothyroid with decreased RAI
- Hypothyroidism (1 or 2)
- Hashimoto’s
- Burnt out Graves
C2005-10: Three reasons why thyroid scan is done on an infant with hypothyroidism.
Determine presence/absence of thyroid tissue
Determine cause of hypothyroidism
To start synthroid as soon as possible
Which step of iodine hormone synthesis is affected by following (steps included trapping, organification, hormone synthesis, coupling, release, peripheral T4 to T3 conversion) - was told could use more than 1 for each drug). Drugs included lithium, propranolol, amiodarone, iodine, PTU
- Trapping (Na/I symporter)
- Transport
- Organification (Thyroid peroxidase)
- Oxidation - Iodinating-tyrosine residues on thyroglobulin form iodotyrosines (MIT and DIT) stored in colloid
- Micropinocytosis-vesicles containing colloid fuse with lysosomes to produce phagolysosomes
- Proteolysis-produces iodothyronines that dffuse into the cytoplasm
- Release (Secretion).
TSH affects TrICEPS=trapping (increases NIS synthesis), transport, iodination (increased TPO, its incorporation into apical membrane, Tgb, and generation of H2O2) coupling (increases TPO), endocytosis (micropinocytosis by activating cAMP), proteolysis?, secretion?.
Lithium: Primarily inhibits release, this occurs by potentiating the iodine induced block of bonding and release by↑ intrathyroidal iodine content, but more likely by inhibiting cAMP mediated translocation of thyroid hormone
Propranolol: mild ↓ peripheral T4 to T3 conversion, also reduces peripheral tissue response to T4 and T3
Amiodarone: Major effects are due to its resemblance to thyroid hormone, causing inhibtion of type I and II deiodinase ↓ peripheral T4 to T3 conversion resulting in a decreased level of T3, may also decrease thyroid hormone entry into the tissues and binding of hormones to the receptor.
PTU: Affects thyroid peroxidase therefore decreases oxidation/iodination/coupling, Non-conpetitive inhibitor for T4 to T3 conversion
Methimazole: Affects thyroid peroxidase therefore decreases oxidation/iodination/coupling
Perchlorate washout test used for? List 3 steps in the protocol? What is a positive result?
To demonstrate dissociation of trapping and organification functions in the thyroid in the setting of dyshormonogenesis/organification defect
Protocol o Tracer dose of radioiodine o % uptake measured at 1-4 hours o 1g KClO4 given orally (109 mg/kg) o % uptake measured at 30-60 after
Positive result
o Washout >10% suggests organification defect
C2010-47: locations of ectopic thyroid tissue in relation to embryology, what % have lingual thyroid?
Ectopic thyroid can be lingual, substernal, pelvic/ovarian (struma ovarii); prevalence is 1/100000, 90% of ectopic thyroid tissue is lingual.
Thyroid cancer in children are biologically different from adult. Name 4 differences. Who has better prognosis?
- Regional nodal mets (75%) more common in children
- Extrathyroidal extension (15% in adults) more common in children at presentation
- Lung mets (5-20%, 10-20% have distal mets overall)
- Metastases doe not indicate as poor a prognosis (mortality rate 15% at 15 years in children, 75% in adults)
Prognosis:
1. Adult; 93-97% 25 year survival in patients with complete resection and no metastases. 10-year overall survival rate 93% papillary, 85% follicular, 75% medullary, 14% undifferentiated.
o Children overall 95% 15-20 year survival. Pediatric papillary cancer does carry a much better prognosis than adult
Two chemical markers of medullary thyroid cancer:
Pentagastrin stimulated plasma calcitonin (rises more with well-differentiated form) (0.5 μg/kg slow IV)
CEA and histamine (rise with more aggressive undifferentiated form)
C2003-32: Who (family members) do you screen for MTC? What marker do you use?
All patients with MTC or other MEN II malignancies as well as consideration for family members of these patients, new evidence from BCCA appears to confirm the utility of this.
What percentage of MTC is familial?
20%.
Questions about MTC – percent familial, syndrome associated with it, biomarkers.
MTC represents 10% of all thyroid carcinomas
20-25% familial (autosomal dominant trait)
Arises from para-follicular C-cells
associated with MEN syndromes IIA and IIB
MTCs express & release calcitonin and CEA (biomarkers)
Name the four familial syndromes associated with neuroendocrine tumors (APUD tumors)
MEN I, II, III Zollinger-Ellison Von Hippel-Lindau NF1 Tuberous sclerosis
Location of aldosterone:
Zona glomerulosa
Name the medication used to prepare 131I-NP 59 study for aldosteroma:
Confirm non-pregnancy
Block thyroid with SSKI (1 drop tid 2d before and continue 7d post-injection)
Dexamethasone (1mg po qid7 days before and continue 5 days post-injection
In adrenocortical imaging, when to you use Dexamethasone suppression?
The dexamethasone suppression exam is indicated for the evaluation of primary aldosteronism or hyperandrogenism. Suppression helps to improve specificity of NP-59 exam because neither suppresses pituitary ACTH secretion and adrenal glands can be visualized normally, making detection of lesion more difficult.
Dose: dexamethasone 1mg q6f for 7 days prior and continued through the exam.
What is the Cushing syndrome and what are its imaging characteristics (NP-59 scan)?
Patterns of uptake:
- unilateral uptake – functional adenoma suppressing contralateral gland.
- bilat asymmetric uptake – bilateral nodular hyperplasia
- bilat nonvisualization – glucocorticoid secreting carcinoma, severe hypercholesterolemia (false +)
- bilat symmetric uptake – Cushings disease (pituitary), ectopic ACTH syndrome
An endocrinologist asks you to do a test to assess for primary hyperaldosteronism outline protocol in detail including pre-treatment, tracer, dosages, and diagnostic criteria.
History to rule out medication known to alter adrenal uptake of NP-59 (spironolactone; is an aldosterone receptor inhibitor, increases aldo production, ketoconazole; decreases cortisol biosynthesis, medications that increase plasma renin; diuretics, OCP, ACEI) and whether excessive hypercholesterolemia is present (may decrease NP-59 uptake)
SSKI 1 drop tid 1-2 days before and continue 7 days after to block thyroid uptake of radioiodide
dexamethasone 4mg po od (divided dose) for 7 days before and continue through exam
NP-59 dose - 1mCi/1.73m2 IV by slow infusion
Image on days 3, 4 and 5 (Breakthrough visualization of the normal adrenal glands can be expected after 5 days)
Diagnostic criteria:
o unilateral early uptake – functional adenoma
o bilateral early uptake (often asymmetric) – adrenal hyperplasia
o bilateral late uptake – non-diagnostic
o bilateral absent uptake – adrenal carcinoma / drug therapy
What’s the most important finding of biliary atresia on HIDA scan:
No bowel activity
Protocol for HIDA scan in biliary atresia. Given patient weight you had to tell how much Phenobarbital you would give and using what regimen. What dose of tracer. What imaging protocol? What diagnostic criteria? What sensitivity and specificity?
Phenobarbital 5mg/kg/day po in 2 divided doses for 5-7 days prior to the study may increase diagnostic accuracy
Dose of tracer: 200 uCi/kg (Requisites P181), 1 – 5 mCi (SNM/Auntminnie)
Imaging protocol:
o patient supine
o 128x128 matrix
o Large FOV gamma camera, LEAP or LEHR collimator
o Continuous dynamic acquisition in Anterior or LAO (1 frame/min), for 60 minutes
o At the completion of the 60 min dynamic study determine if additional images need to be acquired at 4 hours and 24 hours post tracer administration
Describe what is done in a Kasai procedure. What is the dose for Phenobarbital
Kasai procedure (portoenterostomy) is performed initially to re-establish bile flow in biliary atresia. The fibrous remnant of the bile duct is transected at the portal vein bifurcation, flush with liver. A conduit of small bowel is constructed and anastomosed around the cut surface of the fibrous tissue.
Phenobarbital pretreatment: (5mg/kg/day po in 2 divided doses) is instituted for 5 to 7 days to enhance biliary excretion of IDA. It is a potent inducer of the liver microsomal enzyme system, increases bilirubin conjugation, and provides better excretion of the IDA compound for earlier identification of a patent biliary tree
Five medications that affect gallbladder contraction:
CCK, somatostatin, atropine, prostigmine, secretin, bethanacol, erythromycin
Drugs that cause decrease gb contraction.
atropine or other anticholinergic morphine inhibitory hormone such as somatostatin loperamide CCB nifedipine progesterone
Two methods of infusing CCK:
0.02 μg/kg either over 3 minutes or 30 minutes
Five actions of CCK:
relax LES increase pyloric tone decrease gastric motility increase pancreatic secretions increase gall bladder contraction increase small bowel motility increase bile production
(essentially promoting emptying of duodenum in preparation of next bolus)
Three contraindications to giving morphine in a HIDA study.
non-visualization of bowel activity allergy CNS and respiratory depression true rim sign (sign of gangrenous gallbladder and possible rupture) pancreatitis
What is the dose of morphine given for a IDA study and over what time period?
0.04 mg / kg IV over 2 minutes
Question on three findings in chronic cholecystitis on an IDA study.
delayed liver-to-bowel transit time
delayed gall bladder filling
diminished response to CCK
Causes of decreased GBEF on sincalide study (Three conditions that cause decreased GBEF post-sincalide)
Calculous and acalculous biliary disease
o Chronic acalculous cholecystitis
o Cystic duct syndrome
o Sphincter of Oddi spasm
Medications
o Morphpine
o Atropine
o CCBs
Diseases with poor GB contraction o Diabetes o Sickle cell disease o Irritable bowel syndrome o Truncal vagotomy o Pancreatic insufficiency
4 false positives on hepatobiliary imaging for acute cholecystitis
Main:
o Severe intercurrent illness
o Fasting
o Hyperalimentation
Other: o Recent meal <4-6h o Prolonged fasting >20-24h o Prior cholecystectomy o Acute pancreatitis o CCK just before exam
False negative exam for cholecystitis
Incomplete cystic duct obstruction
Acalculous cholecystitis
Accessory cystic duct
Duodenal diverticulum stimulating GB activity
Causes of prompt hepatic uptake without excretion
Acute CBD obstruction (choledocholithiasis) Acute pancreatitis Carcinoma Infection Cholestasis
Appearance of adenoma on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = focal defect
b) HIDA = usually no uptake; definitely no excretion
c) gallium = similar or just above normal liver
d) Tc-RBCs = similar or just above normal liver
Appearance of FNH on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = normal > cold > hot
b) HIDA = delayed washout
c) gallium = similar or just above normal liver
d) Tc-RBCs = similar or just above normal liver
Appearance of hemangioma on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = focal defect
b) HIDA = focal defect
c) gallium = focal defect
d) Tc-RBCs = hypoperfused but hot spot on delayed images
Appearance of HCC on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = focal defect on delayed; +/- hyperemia early
b) HIDA = cold initially; late uptake without washout on 2-4 hr images
c) gallium = uptake in most
d) Tc-RBCs = normal
Appearance of fatty infiltration on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = Normal
b) HIDA = Normal
c) gallium = Normal
d) Tc-RBCs = Normal
Appearance of regenerating nodule on:
a) LS/SC scan
b) HIDA
c) gallium
d) Tc-RBCs
a) LS/SC scan = normal or cold, liver looks heterogenous
b) HIDA = normal
c) gallium = normal; remainder of liver may be decreased
d) Tc-RBCs = normal
Three patterns of diffuse esophageal spasm:
nutcracker (multiple uncoordinated contractions)
delayed esophageal emptying
normal LES function
Three disease states that can be assessed with esophageal scintigraphic motility study and what the findings are for each disease process.
achalasia - poor esophageal transit through all segments OR hold up distal segment only, aperistalsis of the esophagus with flat pattern in all segments and very prolonged retention in the distal esophagus.
scleroderma - severely prolonged esophageal transit, >50% retention at 10 minutes.
diffuse esophageal spasm - uncoordinated motions, multiple high amplitude nonpropulsive contractions, multiple uncoordinated peaks, normal LES.
In gastric emptying study two methods of attenuation correction:
Arithmetic, Geometric, LAO positioning
Describe two phases of gastric emptying with solid and what happens in each phase:
lag phase / trituration = time required for transfer of solid food from fundus to antrum and for grinding of food into smaller particles for passage into duodenum. Little or no gastric emptying occurs in this phase.
Emptying phase – linear rate of emptying once food particle is small enough to pass into duodenum.
Four causes of increased gastric emptying
- OR i.e. pyloroplasty, gastrectomy, vagotomy
- Medications; erythromycin, cisapride, synthroid, metoclopromide, domperidone,
- Illness - hyperthyroidism, ZES, gastritis, malabsorption,
- Diabetic subjects without autonomic neuropathy.
Given list of about 8 drugs/hormones and asked to state if they increased or decreased gastric emptying - included nicotine, gastrin, CCK, secretin, erythromycin, progesterone, glucagon, thyroxine
increased:
o erythromycin
o thyroxine
delayed: o nicotine o gastrin (not true, this increases emptying) o CCK o Secretin o progesterone o glucagon o somatostatin
3 medical conditions cause increased gastric emptying?
- duodenal ulcer
- Zollinger-Ellison
- Hyperthyroidism
- Post-op (pyloroplasty, hemigastrectomy, vagotomy),
- diabetes
4 non-pathologic causes of rapid gastric emptying
Causes of rapid gastric emptying o Postsurgical; antrectomy, gastrectomy, vagotomy o Hormonal; ZES, carcinoid o Duodenal ulcer disease o Medications (above)
2 scintigraphic methods of assessing aspiration.
reflux “milk study” – NPO 4 hours, 0.2 – 1 mCi Tc-99m SC in milk, 10-15 cc/kg, primarily used to assess GERD and esophageal/gastric transit. Dynamic (15s for 1 hour) & delayed views (5 minute at 3 hours) over the chest and abdomen for aspiration. Reflux within 5 minutes of formula is not significant.
salivagram – NPO 4 hours, 1cc of 0.5 mCi Tc-99m SC placed on dorsal surface of the tongue, dynamic images for 30-60 minutes. Look for tracheobronchial activity. Most sensitive
4 causes of photopenia on sulphur colloid scan.
Cyst Abscess Hematoma Laceration Benign and malignant tumors Dilated bile ducts
2 causes of increased focal uptake on sulphur colloid.
Focal nodular hyperplasia
Budd-Chiari syndrome (relative to adjacent tissue)
Cirrhosis (regenerating nodule) (relative to adjacent tissue)
SVC syndrome (arm injection)
IVC obstruction (leg injection)
Name three causes of a false positive and three causes for a false negative study in red blood cell scan for hemangioma.
FP - HCC, angiosarcoma, metastases (carcinoid and colon)
FN - size < 1.5 cm; near vascular structure, thrombosed
Name 3 physiologic functions of the spleen.
1.Cell and humoral mediated immune response
2.Storage of platelets
3.Mechanical filtration of RBCs
4.Phagocytosis of encapsulated microorganisms
5.Extrmedullary hematopoiesis.
What is appearance of Budd Chiari on colloid, why?
Budd-Chiari syndrome (hepatic vein thrombosis) has relatively more uptake in the caudate lobe than rest of liver. The impaired venous drainage of liver results in poor hepatic function, but the caudate lobe retains good function because it has direct venous drainage to IVC.
Incidence of Meckels, % symptomatic, % that has ectopic gastric mucosa, 3 complications.
Prevalence in population is stated to be about 2%, actually ranges from 0.2-4%
Complications in 5% with an anomaly
Based on rate of hemorrhage, about 32% with ectopic gastric mucosa
3 complications o Bowel obstruction (including intussusception) o Hemorrhage o Diverticulitis o Umbilical fistula
Three medications used to improve sensitivity in Meckel’s study and describe their action briefly
Cimetidine:
o H2-receptor antagonist inhibits secretion of Tc-99m pertechnetate from gastric mucosa without impairing uptake
o 300 mg qid x 2 days for adults; 20 mg/kg/day po x 2 days prior to the study for peds
o OR 300 mg in 100ml D5W iv over 20 min with imaging starting 1 hr later
Ranitidine:
Ranitidine works the same way as cimetidine & may be substituted
o 1 mg/kg iv for infants, children & adults up to a max of 50 mg infused over 20 min & imaging starting 1 hour later OR 2 mg/kg dose po for children & 150 mg/dose for adults
Glucagon:
o Decreases peristalsis but also decreases TcO4- uptake.
o Used in conjunction with pentagastrin
o Dose: 50 ug/kg iv 10 min after the Tc-99m pertechnetate
Pentagastrin:
o Increases gastric mucosa Tc-99m pertechnetate uptake but also increases its secretion and intestinal motility, potentially reducing ectopic site activity.
o H2 blockers antagonize pentagastrin; therefore, do NOT use
o Dose: 6 ug/kg SC 15-20 minutes prior to injecting Tc-99m pertechnetate
o Used in conjunction with glucagon
Perchlorate:
o Perchlorate should NOT be given prior to the exam as it will decrease gastric uptake of the tracer -> false negative study. Similarly atropine can cause false negative results. WHY???
Protocol:
o 99mTcO4: 10mCi adult; 200 uCi/kg children IV
o LEAP, 128x128 matrix
o 20% window @ 140 keV
o Have patient fast for 4 hours prior to study
o No barium study or perchlorate prior to study
o Image for 30-60 min immediately after injection
Medications:
o Cimetidine: 20 mg/kg/d for 2 days (adults 300 mg po qid x2d)
o Glucagon: 50 mcg/kg IV 10 min before study
o Pentagastrin: 6 mcg/kg sc 5-15 min before study
Meckel’s protocol
Protocol:
o 99mTcO4: 10mCi adult; 200 uCi/kg children IV
o LEAP, 128x128 matrix
o 20% window @ 140 keV
o Have patient fast for 4 hours prior to study
o No barium study or perchlorate prior to study
o Image for 30-60 min immediately after injection
Name five causes of false positive GI bleed scan.
vascular tumor aneurysm abscess inflammatory bowel disease contamination
3 causes of false positive in Meckel’s scan
FP:
o Any cause of focal hyperemia: Hemangioma (usually multiple), AVM, Vascular tumor
o Duplication cyst containing gastric mucosa
o Intussusception
o Inflammation: Appendicitis/Abscess/IBD
o Renal pelvis or collecting system activity
o Uterine Blush: Menstruating females
False negative
o Small amount of ectopic gastric mucosa - < 2cm^2
o Uptake in Meckel’s diverticulum obscured by overlying activity (urine, bladder)
o Uptake obscured by barium from prior study
o Technical problem
Drugs – perchlorate
They tell you that a kid had a in-vitro Tc-RBC scan to look for a bleeding 2 days ago. Then they ask you how long do you wait after this first exam to do a meckel’s scan?
Most of the Tc-99m label would have decayed by 4 x T1/2 or 24 hours, so it is ok to do the Meckel’s scan, but it may be prudent to do a quick static image to see how much residual activity is left from the GI bleed study.
Drugs used to improve RBC GIB scan. (Two meds to help in tagged RBC study for GI bleed)
Glucagon
Heparin (If surgeon OK)
False positives for RBC GI bleeding study
Vascular neoplasm Splenosis Varices Vascular grafts Bladder/penile activity Inflammation
Technique for measurement of ano-rectal angle. Normal ranges.
Cylindrical balloon filled with Tc-99m solution in water, and placed in rectum/anal canal
Image at rest, during sphincteric squeeze, and during a Valsalva maneuver, decubitus, sitting and standing
Renogram: what kind of collimator do you use and what size of matrix?
LEHR
Parallel hole
128x128
Know percent protein binding of radiotracers for renal imaging
MAG3 10mCi (peds 0.1 mCi/ kg, min dose 0.5 mCi)
o Protein binding: mean 81% (66-90%)
o 98% secreted in PCT, 2% filtered
o extraction fraction: 40-50%
DTPA 10-20 mCi (peds 0.1 mCi/kg, min dose 0.5 mCi)
o Protein binding: 5-10%
o 100% filtered
o extraction: 20%
DMSA 5mCi (peds 0.05 mCi/ kg, min dose 0.3 mCi)
o Protein binding: ~ 90%
o 40-50% cortical accumulation, remaining for 24 hours
o Extraction fraction: 4-5% per pass
o Urine excretion: 4-8% 1st hour, 30% 14 hours
I-131 OIH 100-300 uCi (peds 3 uCi/kg, min 25uCi)
o Protein binding: 70%, 5% diffuse into RBC
o 80% tubular secretion, 20% glomerular filtration
o extraction fraction: 70 – 90%
Glucoheptonate 15mCi (peds 0.1 mCi/ kg, minimum dose 0.5 mCi)
o BOTH glomerular filtration (80-90%)/tubular secretion (10-20%) -> cortical uptake
o Protein binding: 7%
o 10-20% retained in renal tubular cells, rest excreted
o Extraction fraction: 20%
Where in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldostérone system does ACE inhibitor work? What can you give the patient for a captopril renal study if they can’t take captopril PO
ACE inhibitors inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme, which converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II
Alternate to captopril (Requisites)
o Enalaprilat 40 μg/kg IV up to 2.5 mg over 3-5 minutes
Three causes of false positive captopril renogram:
hypotension, dehydration, Ca2+ channel blocker, obstruction
Specify the amount of hydration in captopril renogram:
SNM guidelines: 7 ml/kg po >30-60 min prior to study
Repeat on the positive findings of renal vascular hypertension on a mag-3 captopril challenge test
o Change of renogram grade
o [20 minute / maximum uptake] ratio change by >= 15% (cortical retention)
o Relative renal function change >= 10%
o Tmax increase by >= 2 min or 40% compared with baseline
List 6 indications for a captopril renogram
o abrupt or severe HTN (diastolic BP > 120 mm Hg)
o HTN resistant to medical therapy
o HTN with onset in patients < 30 yo or > 55 yo
o abdominal or flank bruits
o unexplained azotemia
o worsening renal function during ACE inhibitor therapy