title: Detection of acute atrial thrombus in a porcine model with atrial fibrillation with tc 99m-apcitide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Technetium-99m apcitide (AcuTect) is a peptide with high affinity and specificity for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors on platelets and is currently approved for the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis. This study evaluates the use of Tc-99m apcitide for detecting intracardiac thrombus in an animal model with atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thrombogenic material (0.23+/- 0.03 g) was implanted within the left atrium of 5 swine with induced atrial fibrillation. Scintigraphy was performed with a small field of view gamma camera (minimum of 400000 counts) 1 hour after implantation at 10, 60, and 120 minutes after the injection of the Tc-99m apcitide. Animals were then euthanized and a postmortem examination performed to confirm thrombus formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : In all animals, thrombi and microthrombi were confirmed within the left atrial appendage. The average wet weight of the thrombus was 1.4 +/- 0.2 g. Tc-99m apcitide detected left atrial thrombus in all animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that AcuTect may prove useful for detecting intracardiac thrombus in future clinical studies in man.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6200, USA. Jose.DeHoyos@cen.amedd.army.mil
authors.forename: Maj Jose C
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: DeHoyos
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Rubal
authors.forename: Maj Yong C
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013552:Swine; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C094919:technetium Tc 99m P280