title: Role of myocardial gated SPECT scintigraphy in the clinical suspicion of ischemic cardiomyopathy: discussion of an unusual case.
abstract: The case of a 72-year-old patient affected by myasthenia gravis under pyridostigmine therapy, admitted to the hospital for the onset of oppressive thoracic pain associated with mild enzyme increase, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic disorders, is discussed. Dypiridamole/gated SPECT perfusion scintigraphy at rest evidenced reduced coronary reserve at the level of the lateral wall with apical akinesia and normokinesia of mediobasal left ventricle. On coronarography, coronary arteries were free of significant stenoses and left ventricular apical akinesia. The diagnostic approach to ischemic cardiomyopathy with the correct sequence of performed diagnostic imaging led to the presumptive identification of a rare syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Nucleare, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma, Italy. isabella.bruno@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bencardino
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Spitilli
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pizzoferro
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Totaro
authors.forename: Donatella Pia
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Dambra
authors.forename: Luisa Lo
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon