title: Reverse redistribution: fact or fiction?
abstract: It has been well documented that it is not uncommon for a thallium-201 perfusion defect to develop or become more evident on delayed exercise thallium scintigraphic imaging, as compared with the initial image immediately following stress. The pathophysiology and clinical significance of the phenomenon are currently unclear. Literature on this subject is reviewed, and it is concluded that reverse redistribution of 201Tl in the post-myocardial infarction patient is indeed a "fact". In this context it represents a low-risk condition and may imply successful thrombolysis, patent infarct-related coronary artery, improved wall motion at the infarct site and retained myocardial viability in that segment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta Hospitals, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dudzic
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Sridhara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahiri
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes
chemical_list: D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes