The relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and cardiac syndrome X: a preliminary study.

Cardiac syndrome X is defined by an angina pectoris with normal or near normal coronary angiogram.We evaluated the association of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection with cardiac syndrome X (CSX). We studied 30 patients with CSX, 30 cases with stable angina and also 30 healthy controls. All three groups underwent urea breath test (UBT). Fifty percent (15 out of 30) of CSX patients had positive UBT result (> or =200 dpm), while two other groups did not have the positive results. Regarding high prevalence of HP infection in patients with CSX in our study and probable causative effect of chronic infection in coronary artery diseases, possible role of HP infection in the pathogenesis of CSX is suggested. However well designed clinical trial studies are needed to confirm this preliminary result.

Comparison of methods for determination of glomerular filtration rate: low and high-dose Tc-99m-DTPA renography, predicted creatinine clearance method, and plasma sample method.

The gamma camera uptake method with Tc-99m-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) is a simple method for determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and is less time-consuming than other methods, but its diagnostic accuracy is debated. Gate's method (low-dose; LD), the high-dose method (HD), the predicted-clearance method, and the plasma-clearance method with Tc-99m-DTPA are compared in this study. We also performed GFR measurement and diuretic renography simultaneously. Tc-99m DTPA renography was performed in 36 patients aged 18-72 years with a wide range of renal function (serum creatinine 1.37 +/- 0.49 mg/dl). GFR was determined by four methods: the gamma camera uptake method with low-dose Tc-99m DTPA (Gates, LD); the gamma camera uptake method with high-dose Tc-99m DTPA (HD); the predicted creatinine clearance method (Cockcroft-Gualt, CG); and the plasma sample clearance (PSC) method using a mono-exponential curve. The PSC method was chosen as reference. The regression equations for the CG, Gates (low-dose), and HD methods against the PSC method were 28.68 + 0.80X (r = 0.72; P value < 0.0001, RMSE = 21.65 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), 6.19 + 0.79X (r = 0.90; P value < 0.0001, RMSE = 10.64 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), and 6.53 + 0.88X (r = 0.93; P value < 0.0001, RMSE = 9.35 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), respectively. In comparison with determination of GFR by the PSC method, the CG method tended to overestimate GFR while, perversely, the LD and HD methods tended to underestimate GFR. The three methods were in agreement with the PSC method but the high-dose GFR method resulted in less error in estimation of GFR. Furthermore, GFR measurement and diuretic renography could be performed at the same time when the high-dose method was used. Because of the low cost and negligible radiation burden, this method might be preferred for routine practice in nuclear medicine.

A simple way to distinguish bed clothing contamination in a whole body bone scan: a case report.

Whole body bone scan with Technetium-99m MDP (methylene diphosphate) can detect bony lesions due to altered osteoblastic activity.Non-physiologic or increased radiotracer uptake in the bony structures of patients with a history of malignant diseases is usually interpreted as being suspicious of bone metastasis. It is extremely important to properly distinguish false positive sites of Tc-99m MDP localization. We present three patients with the same pattern of Tc-99m MDP abnormality in different locations. These scans were all performed on the same day to evaluate possible bone metastases in three patients with breast carcinoma. After careful examination, repeated images revealed bed clothing contamination. This is different from bed contamination by displacement among different patients. It is also different from detector contamination by limited area of involvement where detector contamination appears as a line throughout the total body projection. It can be helpful if a nuclear medicine specialist has a brief look at all scans prior to reporting them. In cases where the same pattern of abnormality is repeated in all images, the possibility of technical error such as bed clothing contamination rather than a pathological abnormality should be borne in mind.

Whole body bone scintigraphy in osseous hydatosis: a case report.

Hydatid disease is common in many parts of the world, and causes considerable health and economic loss. This disease may develop in almost any part of the body.Bone involvement is often asymptomatic, and its diagnosis is primarily based on radiographic findings. A whole body bone scan is able to show the extent and distribution of lesions.We describe an unusual case of multifocal skeletal hydatosis and also explain the clinical and diagnostic points. We hope to stimulate a high index of suspicion among clinicians to facilitate early diagnosis and to consider this disease as a differential diagnosis in cases of multiple abnormal activity in bone scintigraphy especially among people in endemic areas.