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D Twieg

Publications and source records attributed to D Twieg.

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Scintigraphic evaluation of left ventricular function.

Scintigraphic studies, performed with a scintillation camera and a small computer, can provide information concerning total and regional left ventricular function (Table 1). Of the two types of studies (first-pass and gated blood pool) the gated blood study is more appropriate for studies of regional function than is the first-pass method. Ejection fraction, an index of global ventricular function, is measureable from first-pass or gated blood pool studies. Gated blood pool studies allow visual assessment of net ventricular function as well as the local functional status of the myocardium. Multiple gated blood pool studies allow computation of ventricular volume curves, from which ejection fraction and ejection rate may be determined. There are several areas of application for these relatively inexpensive and virtually noninvasive studies. In patients with recent myocardial infarction, visual assessment of regional ventricular wall motion and quantitative measurement of ejection fraction provide additional prognostic information, especially when measured serially. In patients with coronary artery disease, the development of regional ventricular wall motion abnormalities may indicate local myocardial ischemia. Consequently, scintigraphic imaging may add significantly to the usefulness of exercise stress testing.

Heart Ventricles

Submaximal exercise testing after acute myocardial infarction: myocardial scintigraphic and electrocardiographic observations.

The relation between global and regional left ventricular function and electrocardiographic signs of ischemia at rest and during submaximal supine exercise was studied in 27 patients 2 to 3 weeks after acute myocardial infarction. Dynamic myocardial scintigraphy was performed at rest and during submaximal exercise utilizing an in vivo method of labeling red blood cells with technetium-99m pertechnetate. Gated radionuclide blood pool scintigrams were obtained in a modified left anterior oblique, and in some patients also in the right anterior oblique projection, to measure left ventricular ejection fraction and segmental wall motion. Electrocardiographic monitoring of heart rate and rhythm was provided during the exercise. The submaximal exercise test was terminated when the patient's heart rate reached 125 beats/min or if angina, malignant ventricular ectopy or electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischemia developed before this rate was reached. The data demonstrate that patients with a recent anterior myocardial infarct, in contrast to patients with a recent inferior or nontransmural infarct, manifest a significant reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction with submaximal exercise. Of the eight patients with an anterior infarct, seven had segmental wall motion abnormalities at rest. Four of these eight manifested more severe abnormalities with submaximal exercise; three had abnormalities at rest that did not change with exercise. Four of the eight had a positive electrocardiographic response during exercise (two were taking digoxin). Of these four, only two had more marked wall motion abnormalities with effort. Of the 13 patients with an inferior infarct, 11 had apparently normal wall motion in the modified left anterior oblique projection at rest, including 2 who manifested segmental wall motion abnormalities with submaximal exercise; the 2 remaining patients had wall motion abnormalities at rest that, on exercise, became more marked in one and were unchanged in one. Four of the 13 had a positive electrocardiographic response with exercise (one was taking digoxin); only one of these had a detectably more severe wall motion abnormality with exercise. Of the six patients with a nontransmural infarct, four had no identifiable wall motion abnormalities at rest; in one of these, an abnormality developed with exercise. The remaining two patients had wall motion abnormalities at rest; in one, a positive electrocardiographic ischemic response developed with exercise. Patients with an anterior infarct appear to have a different functional ventricular response to submaximal exercise at the time of hospital discharge than patients with an inferior or nontransmural infarct. To identify ischemic responses with submaximal exercise in these patients one should ideally use both electrocardiographic monitoring and dynamic myocardial scintigraphy.

Adult