title: Effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on left ventricular function in adult rats: an in vivo Pinhole Gated SPECT study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested that diabetes mellitus (DM) may cause left ventricular (LV) dysfunction directly resulting in increased susceptibility to heart failure. Using pinhole collimators and advances in data processing, gated SPECT was recently adapted to image the rat heart. The present study was aimed to assess this new imaging technique for quantifying LV function and remodeling from the Streptozotocin (STZ) rat model compared to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty one rats were randomly assigned to control or diabetic group. Six months after the induction of diabetes by STZ, Pinhole 99 m Tc-sestamibi gated SPECT was performed for determining rat LV volumes and function. Post-mortem histopathologic analysis was performed to evaluate the determinant of LV remodeling in this model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After six months, the normalized to body weight LV End-systolic volume was significantly different in diabetic rats compared to controls (0.46 +/- 0.02 vs 0.33 +/- 0.03 microL/g; p = 0.01). The normalized LV End-diastolic volume was also different in both groups (1.51 +/- 0.03 vs 0.88 +/- 0.05 microL/g; p = 0.001) and the normalized stroke volume was significantly higher in STZ-rats (1.05 +/- 0.02 vs 0.54 +/- 0.06 microL/g; p = 0.001). The muscular fibers were thinner at histology in the diabetic rats (0.44 +/- 0.07 vs 0.32 +/- 0.06 AU; p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pinhole 99 m Tc-sestamibi gated SPECT can successfully be applied for the evaluation of cardiac function and remodeling in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In this model, LV volumes were significantly changed compared to a control population, leading to a LV dysfunction. These findings were consistent with the histopathological abnormalities. Finally, these data further suggest the presence of diabetes cardiomyopathy.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology department, UZ Brussel, Belgium. bcosyns@skynet.be
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cosyns
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Droogmans
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weytjens
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahoutte
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Camp
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schoors
authors.forename: Philippe R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Franken
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi