title: Prognostic value of 123-IODO-heptadecanoic acid imaging in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: This trial aimed to test if the half life of radioiodinated heptadecanoic acid (HDA) in acutely infarcted myocardium is of prognostic value. Twenty patients had an HDA scan and a MUGA scan within 6 days of acute myocardial infarction, eighteen of these had a visible defect on the HDA images. The mean half life of the areas of acute infarction (15.50 min +/- 7.82 min) was significantly shorter than that of normal myocardium (20.77 min +/- 4.00 min). The MUGA scan was repeated after 6 months in 15 patients. The mean acute infarct half life was longer in patients with an LVEF improvement of at least 5% at 6 months (16.92 min +/- 10.56 min), compared to those with a deterioration of more than 5% (11.75 min +/- 4.03 min), although the difference is not statistically significant. While the results in a few individuals suggested that the half life may be of prognostic significance, the variable response of the group reduced the ability of the half life to act as a prognostic indicator. Improvements in imaging and background subtraction techniques may be necessary before the half life is of practical value.
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; C027252:17-iodoheptadecanoic acid