Abstract
Background The scintigraphic perfusion defect size (DS) at 1 week after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) predicts remote left ventricular (LV) volumes and LV ejection fraction (LVEF). The present study examined whether LV volumes and LVEF 6 months after AMI may be better predicted by the combination of LV volumes and LVEF just after reperfusion, and DS at 1 week, after AMI in patients with Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade III reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results In 48 patients with AMI and TIMI grade III reperfusion, quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) was performed just after reperfusion, and at 1 week and 6 months after AMI. LV end-diastolic volume index decreased (108±8 to 93±6 ml/m2, p<0.05) and LVEF increased (44±3 to 50±2%, p<0.05) 6 months after AMI. In addition, they were better predicted by a combination of LV volumes and LVEF just after reperfusion and DS at 1 week after AMI. Conclusions In AMI with TIMI grade III reperfusion, LV volumes and LVEF at 6 months after MI correlate with the values obtained just after reperfusion. Myocardial perfusion imaging combined with QGS at reperfusion may predict these late-phase parameters. (Circ J 2008; 72: 226 - 231)
