title: Prognosis and diagnostic work-up in patients admitted for, but without, myocardial infarction--the value of nuclear medicine examinations.
abstract: Patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction that is not confirmed (non-AMI) have a prognosis only slightly better than that of patients with confirmed infarction. In a prospective, prognostic study of 158 patients with non-AMI the combination of exercise ECG and transient defects demonstrated at 201thallium scintigraphy identified low- and high-risk groups better than either examination alone. The purpose of a new, still ongoing study of non-AMI patients is to establish a relevant, cost-effective examination programme in order to arrive at a positive diagnosis in each non-AMI patient. Preliminary results of lung perfusion/ventilation scintigraphy suggest a rather low frequency of pulmonary embolism. Preliminary data of oesophageal scintigraphy suggest that about 25% of the non-AMI patients have abnormal mean transit times. The clinical significance of these data are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Hillerød Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Launbjerg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fruergaard
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hesse
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes
chemical_list: D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes