title: Pyrophosphate scintigraphy and other non-invasive methods in the detection of cardiac involvement in some systemic connective tissue diseases.
abstract: Thirteen patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 patients with polymyositis, and 6 patients with spondylitis ankylopoetica (Bechterew's disease) underwent clinical cardiologic examination and scintigraphy of the myocardium (99mTc-pyrophosphate), ECG, echocardiography, polygraphy, and their blood pressure was taken. The aim of the study was to ascertain how such a combination of non-invasive examinations can help in recognizing a cardiac involvement. In systemic lupus erythematosus cases one or more positive findings were revealed in 9 patients (69%), in 4 patients all examinations were negative (31%). Four patients (50%) with polymyositis had positive findings. In patients with spondylitis ankylopoetica positive findings occurred in 2 cases (33%). The study has shown that a combination of non-invasive cardiologic methods increases the probability of detecting cardiac involvement in systemic connective tissue diseases.
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011756:Diphosphates; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009220:Myositis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013667:Technetium; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate
chemical_list: D011756:Diphosphates; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D013667:Technetium