Accuracy of Choline PET/CT vs. Tc 99m Sestamibi SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging in comparison to histopathology in the diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma : A meta-analysis

Introduction@#In the advent of the recently accepted use of Choline in parathyroid PET/CT, we aimed to assess its accuracy in diagnosing parathyroid adenomas in comparison to the Tc 99m Sestamibi SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging, with histopathology as the reference standard.@*Objective@#To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Choline PET/CT in comparison to Tc 99m Sestamibi parathyroid imaging in detecting parathyroid adenomas, with histopathology as the reference standard. @*Methods@#Cross-sectional studies from 2014 to 2019 were identified through MEDLINE, Pubmed, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google scholar. Our literature search yielded 13 articles, of which only 3 met the set inclusion and exclusion criteria.@*Results@#Three published cross-sectional studies were included with a total of population of 157 patients. Choline PET/CT was found to have a pooled sensitivity of 0.99 (0.96 - 1.00), pooled specificity of 0.45 (0.17 - 0.77), positive likelihood ratio of 1.79 (1.1 – 2.9), negative likelihood ratio of 0.03 (0.0 – 0.1), positive predictive value of 96.0% (93.4 - 97.7%) and negative predictive value of 83.3% (39.0 - 97.6%), estimated with 95% CI. Tc 99m Sestamibi SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging had a pooled sensitivity of 0.77 (0.70-0.84), pooled specificity of 0.45 (0.17 - 0.77), positive likelihood ratio of 1.43 (0.8–2.4), negative likelihood ratio of 0.49 (0.2–1.4), positive predictive value of 96.0% (93.4-97.7%) and negative predictive value of 83.3% (39.0-97.6%), estimated with 95% CI@*Conclusion@#Choline PET/CT showed superior sensitivity, negative predictive value and negative likelihood ratio over Tc 99m Sestamibi SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging. The measured specificities, positive predictive values and positive likelihood ratios of both modalities were found to be similar.

Análisis de la utilidad de ecocardiografía de contraste y medicina nuclear en afección cardiovascular de origen autoinmune / Analysis of the usefulness of contrast echocardiography and nuclear medicine in cardiovascular affection due to autoimmune diseases

Actualmente, 1 de cada 3 hombres y 1 de cada 10 mujeres desarrolla un evento cardiovascular ateroesclerótico mayor antes de los 60 años, por lo que la enfermedad arterial coronaria continúa siendo un problema de salud pública. Existe una asociación significativa entre enfermedades autoinmunes tales como lupus eritematoso sistémico, artritis reumatoide y ateroesclerosis coronaria prematura o acelerada. Los objetivos del estudio fueron: a) Valorar la perfusión miocárdica en pacientes con enfermedades reumatológicas, mediante ecocardiografia de contraste (EC) y establecer su utilidad comparando con los resultados obtenidos por medicina nuclear como método de referencia (MN). b) Evaluar la prevalencia de alteraciones en la perfusión miocárdica subclínica en enfermedades autoinmunes y establecer una estrategia para evaluar los cambios cardiovasculares en este padecimiento. Se estudiaron mediante EC en reposo y en el pico máximo del estrés y MN a 37 pacientes pertenecientes a la Consulta externa del Departamento de Reumatología para valorar la perfusión miocárdica del ventrículo izquierdo. La prevalencia de alteraciones en la perfusión miocárdica en síndrome antifosfolípido primario (SAFP), lupus eritematoso y artritis reumatoide por EC y MN, cuando estos métodos se analizaron en forma independiente o juntos fue del 27%. El valor predictivo positivo de ambas pruebas fue del 80%, la sensibilidad del 80% y la especificidad del 93%. En los pacientes con SAFP se encontró que cuando se realizan ambas pruebas diagnósticas la MN alcanza una sensibilidad del 100% si el EC es positivo y una especificidad del 100% cuando el EC negativo. Podemos concluir que es importante determinar la existencia de enfermedad coronaria subclínica en los pacientes con enfermedades inmunológicas mediante estudios no invasivos (Sestamibi SPECT y/o ecocardiografía de contraste) que permiten valorar la perfusión miocárdica.

A significant correlation between autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and premature or accelerated coronary atherosclerosis was found. The objectives of the study were: a) evaluate myocardial perfusion in patients with rheumatic diseases by means of contrast echocardiography (CE) and to establish its usefulness as compared to the results obtained by nuclear medicine (NM) (reference method), b) evaluate the prevalence of alterations in subclinical myocardial perfusion in autoimmune diseases and to establish a strategy to evaluate the cardiovascular changes in this disease. Myocardial perfusion in 37 outpatients of the rheumatology department was evaluated by CE at rest and with pharmacological stress (dobutamine) and NM. The prevalence of alterations in the myocardial perfusion in autoimmune diseases by CE and NM, when these methods were analyzed independently or when both methods were used was 27%. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of both tests was 80% and 93%, respectively, the sensitivity was 80% and the specificity was 93%. The prevalence of alterations of perfusion in the primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) was of 30%. In this patients it was found that when both diagnostic tests are performed, NM reaches a sensitivity of 100% if the CE is positive and an specificity of 100% when the CE is negative. We can conclude that it is important to determine the presence of subclinic coronary artery disease in patients with autoimmune disease by noninvasive studies such as Sestamibi SPECT and/or CE for assessment of myocardial perfusion in order to plan an adequate treatment and follow-up.

Post-stress Measurements of Left Ventricular Function With Gated Perfusion SPECT: Comparison with Resting Measurements by using Exercise and Adenosine Stress

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the relationship between myocardial perfusion defect in single photon emission tomography(SPECT) and the difference in left ventricular functional parameters obtained after stress and at rest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty five patients known to have coronary artery disease (CAD) or suspected to have CAD underwent gated Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT using one or separate day rest/stress protocol. We compared post-stress left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF-s) with that at rest (LVEF-r) in gated myocardial SPECT. We considered myocardial stunning was developed when LVEF was >5% lower than that at rest. METHODS: Forty one (48%) patients demonstrated reversible or irreversible perfusion defects in gated perfusion SPECT (group 1). Forty four (52%) patients demonstrated normal perfusion status (group 2). In group 1, LVEF-s was significantly lower than that at rest([mean+/-SD] 46+/-15.5 vs 48+/-16.0 respectively, p5% lower than LVEF-r. CONCLUSION: The LVEF obtained after stress with gated SPECT may not reflect true resting values. We recommend gated myocardial perfusion SPECT should be performed also at rest especially in patients with myocardial perfusion defects.

Assessments of myocardial perfusion in human using stress intravenous PESDA myocardial contrast echocardiography and Pulse Inversion Harmonic Imaging: A Comparison study with Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT

OBJECTIVE: The object of this study was to assess the accuracy of dipyridamole stress intravenous (IV) myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) using pulse inversion harmonic imaging and PESDA in the detection of perfusion defect in the patients with coronary artery disease in comparison with dipyridamole stress Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT. METHODS: Total 46 patients (29 males, mean age 64 years old) were consecutively enrolled. Patients with prior myocardial infarction were excluded. MCE and Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT were performed at the same day during rest and after 0.56 or 0.84mg/Kg dipyridamole infusion. Continuous IV infusion of PESDA (2-5 mL/min) was administered while obtaining triggered (1:1) end-systolic apical 2, 4 chamber and long axis views. Tc-99m sestamibi was injected 3 minutes after dipyridamole. Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT images were obtained one hour later. Coronary angiography was followed within two days in all patients. Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT images were matched to the sixteen segments of left ventricle according to American Society of Echocardiography for segmental comparison. Both images were analyzed visually. Results Using coronary angiography as the standard, MCE showed overall sensitivity of 70.7%, specificity of 95.8%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 87.8% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 88.5% in the detection of coronary atherosclerosis (70% stenosis). Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT showed sensitivity of 75.6%, specificity of 98.9%, PPV of 96.8% and NPV of 90.6%. The overall concordance rate between MCE and Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT for the detection of perfusion defects was 86.9% (Cohen's kappa value 0.63) according to the coronary territory and 86.8% (Cohen's kappa value 0.55) according to segmental analysis. CONCLUSION: Dipyridamole stress IV MCE using pulse inversion harmonic imaging and PESDA is feasible and comparable to Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT in identifying significant coronary stenosis and inducible myocardial perfusion defects in the patients with coronary artery disease. MCE using pulse inversion harmonic imaging seems to be a promising modality for assessing myocardial perfusion in the patients with suspected coronary artery disease.