Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “THALLIUM”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

Incremental prognostic value of thallium imaging and coronary angiography in patients with a symptom-limited ECG stress test.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the incremental prognostic value of qualitative thallium-201 imaging and coronary angiography in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. METHODS: Within 1 month, 150 patients underwent diagnostic symptom-limited ECG stress test, thallium imaging, and coronary angiography. The incremental power of sequentially performed tests was evaluated by the overall likelihood ratio statistic. RESULTS: At 3-year follow-up, 16 patients had died from a cardiac cause, 12 had suffered a nonfatal myocardial infarction, and 34 had undergone revascularization procedures more than 60 days after testing. Considering hard events, thallium imaging did not improve the prognostic information provided by clinical exercise stress test data, while coronary angiography increased the predictive power of the combined, exercise stress test, and scintigraphic data (P < 0.001). Moreover, when thallium results were added to clinical, exercise, and coronary angiographic data, the predictive power was unchanged. When the analysis was repeated including the occurrence of late revascularization procedures, each test showed additional prognostic information to that obtained by the other combined tests (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that in patients with a symptom-limited ECG stress test, coronary angiography adds prognostic information to combined clinical, exercise ECG, and thallium imaging data. The incremental prognostic value of qualitative thallium imaging is demonstrable only when late revascularization procedures are included as events.

Aged↗

Serial exercise thallium myocardial perfusion scanning and exercise electrocardiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Serial exercise thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scanning (exercise and 4-hour redistribution) was compared to rest and exercise electrocardiography (ECG) for the detection of coronary artery disease in 125 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. All patients underwent coronary arteriography and 108 were found to have significant coronary artery lesions. The serial exercise thallium scan was significantly more sensitive than rest and exercise ECG in detecting coronary artery disease (94% v. 83% P less than 0.01). The sensitivity of a reversible thallium perfusion scan abnormality and a positive exercise ECG for detecting exercise induced myocardial ischaemia in coronary artery disease was similar (69% v. 63%). The exercise thallium scan complemented the exercise ECG, and the sensitivity of the combined test was significantly greater than the exercise ECG alone (84% v. 63% P less than 0.001). The specificity for coronary artery disease of the exercise ECG was 65% and that of the exercise thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scan was 82% (P = NS). Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scanning complements the rest and exercise ECG in the non-invasive detection of coronary artery disease.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of dipyridamole thallium imaging after acute myocardial infarction in older patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the utility of intravenous dipyridamole thallium testing for predicting major cardiac events following acute myocardial infarction in older patients. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with a median follow-up of 18 months. SETTING: A university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 73 patients aged 65 years and older with enzymatically confirmed acute myocardial infarction (mean age 75 years, 56% male, 71% white). MEASUREMENTS: All patients underwent a detailed clinical assessment, an echocardiogram, and an intravenous dipyridamole thallium stress test before hospital discharge. The study endpoint was death or nonfatal reinfarction during the follow-up period. RESULTS: Overall, 24 patients (33%) died or developed recurrent myocardial infarction during follow-up. Among 44 patients with a reversible thallium defect, 19 (43%) reached the study endpoint, compared with only five of 29 patients (17%) without reversible ischemia (P = .04). On multivariate analysis, independent prognostic variables included non-use of aspirin at hospital discharge (P = .002), decreased left ventricular systolic function (P = .009), non-use of a beta-blocker at hospital discharge (P = .013), and reversible ischemia on thallium scintigraphy (P = .025). The relative risks for death or reinfarction associated with non-use of aspirin, non-use of a beta-blocker, left ventricular dysfunction, and reversible ischemia were 2.65, 2.39, 2.01, and 2.51, respectively. Patients with three or four of these risk factors had an 83% probability of death or reinfarction, compared with 41% in patients with two risk factors and 6% in patients with one or no risk factor (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Intravenous dipyridamole thallium imaging provides independent prognostic information in older patients with acute myocardial infarction. Moreover, the combination of clinical, echocardiographic, and dipyridamole thallium variables effectively stratifies older postinfarction patients into high-, intermediate-, and low-risk categories for death or recurrent myocardial infarction.

Aged↗

Quantitative thallium-201 myocardial imaging in assessing right ventricular pressure in patients with congenital heart defects.

Thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy was performed in patients with congenital heart defects to determine whether, by quantification of right ventricular isotope uptake, one could assess the degree of right ventricular hypertrophy and so predict the level of right ventricular pressure. A total of 24 patients ranging in age from 7 months to 30 years was studied; 18 were studied before corrective surgery and six after operation. All but three had congenital heart defects which had resulted in pressure and/or volume-overload of the right ventricle. At routine cardiac catheterisation, 20 microCi/kg thallium-201 as thallous chloride was injected through the venous catheter and myocardial images were recorded in anterior and left anterior oblique projections; these were subsequently analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Insignificant right ventricular thallium-201 counts judged as being less than 1 per cent of the injected dose or less than 0.3 of the left ventricular counts were present in six patients all with right ventricular peak systolic pressure less than 30 mmHg. In the remaining 18 patients there was a good correlation between the right ventricular/left ventricular peak systolic pressure ratio and the right ventricular/left ventricular thallium-201 counts ratio. All patients with right ventricular/left ventricular peak systolic pressure less than 0.5 had right ventricular/left ventricular thallium-201 counts less than 0.4. Qualitative evaluation of right ventricular isotope intensity proved helpful mainly in distinguishing the patients with right ventricular pressures at or above systemic levels. Thus quantitative analysis of myocardial imaging with thallium-201 is of use clinically in patients with congenital heart defects, in assessing the severity of pulmonary stenosis or the presence of pulmonary artery hypertension.

Adolescent↗

Detection of high risk coronary artery disease by thallium imaging.

One hundred and three patients who underwent coronary arteriography were studied by thallium imaging and the results analysed by Bayesian principles to assess the usefulness of semiquantitative stress thallium imaging for predicting the presence or absence of multivessel coronary disease. Significant disease was found in 80 patients, of whom 77 had abnormal thallium scans (sensitivity 96%). Thallium images were normal in 15 of 23 patients with no significant disease (specificity 65%). Multiple thallium segmental defects were found to be 90% sensitive and 65% specific for multivessel coronary artery disease and were present in 80% of patients with left main stem disease and in 93% of patients with triple vessel disease. A single thallium defect or normal scan excluded multivessel, left main, and triple vessel disease with 81%, 94%, and 91% predictive accuracy respectively. By Bayesian analysis the predictive accuracy for excluding multivessel disease was greater than 90% in patients with a pretest probability of multivessel disease of less than or equal to 40%. Coronary arteriography to exclude multivessel disease is therefore unnecessary in a high proportion of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

Adult↗

Evaluation of exercise electrocardiography and thallium tomographic imaging in detecting asymptomatic coronary artery disease in diabetic patients.

Thallium tomographic imaging and exercise electrocardiography were performed on 136 diabetic patients without symptoms of heart disease. Thirty three patients had post-exercise thallium defects and 19 had ST 1 mm greater than or equal to segment depression during exercise electrocardiography. Both tests were positive in 13 patients. Coronary angiography was subsequently performed on 33 patients with either scintigraphic and/or electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischaemia. Angiographically significant coronary artery disease (greater than or equal to 50% narrowing of the coronary artery lumen) was detected in 13 patients. Six patients had minimal coronary artery stenosis (less than 50%), and 14 had normal coronary arteries. Six patients refused cardiac catheterisation. In 14 out of 27 patients with post-exercise thallium defects coronary angiography did not show any coronary artery stenoses (positive predictive accuracy 48%). Exercise electrocardiography showed only one false positive result (positive predictive accuracy 94%) but failed to detect coronary artery disease in three patients with a positive scintigraphic result. The accuracy of a positive exercise electrocardiographic test seems to be better than that of a positive thallium tomographic scan for detecting asymptomatic coronary artery disease in diabetic patients. The high number of false positive thallium defects may be the result of technical features inherent in thallium tomography and/or the possible disease of the small intramyocardial arteries in diabetic patients.

Adult↗

Thallium scans in syndrome X.

OBJECTIVE: To review thallium scans in patients with angina and normal coronary arteriograms. DESIGN: Retrospective review of data. SETTING: Regional cardiac centre in Glasgow. PATIENTS: 100 patients selected from those undergoing diagnostic angiography for typical angina who had normal arteriograms (around 10%), no other cardiovascular abnormality, and available thallium scans (performed routinely before angiography). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Coronary arteriography, exercise tests, and gated thallium scans at peak exercise. RESULTS: The exercise test was positive in 30 and negative in 70 patients. Thallium defects were found in 98 patients, but no consistent pattern and no significant correlation existed between the extent of thallium defect and positive exercise test or exercise tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: Thallium defects described in 98 of 100 patients with angina and normal coronary arteriograms suggest that microvascular angina may be commoner than is generally appreciated.

Adult↗

Furosemide-sensitive thallium fluxes in smooth muscle of rabbit uterus.

The furosemide-sensitive uptake of thallium represents approximately equal to 50% of the total uptake of thallium by rabbit uterus and requires Cl- and Na+. The furosemide-sensitive uptake of thallium is stimulated by other ions at low concentrations with the rank order Li+ greater than Tl+ greater than K+ = Rb+ greater than Cs+ and is inhibited by these ions at high concentrations with the rank order Tl+ greater than K+ = Rb+ greater than Cs+ greater than Li+, suggesting multiple cation binding sites on the carrier. Uptake of 36Cl- is inhibited by furosemide in the presence of ouabain. Thallium efflux and 36Cl efflux in the presence of ouabain is inhibited by furosemide. The chloride concentration regulates the proportion of thallium uptake that is ouabain sensitive and furosemide sensitive without altering the total uptake. It is suggested that the furosemide-sensitive uptake of thallium reflects a Na+-Cl- -K+ exchange system that could be classified as a cotransport or countertransport of any two of these ions and also could be the smooth muscle chloride pump.

Animals↗

Comparison of S-T segment/heart rate slope with exercise thallium imaging and conventional S-T segment criteria in detecting coronary artery disease: effect of exercise level on accuracy.

The S-T segment/heart rate (ST/HR) slope has been proposed as a more accurate electrocardiographic criterion for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, but studies comparing the diagnostic value of the ST/HR slope with exercise thallium imaging are scant. The aims of this study were to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the ST/HR slope, conventional S-T segment criteria and exercise thallium imaging in detecting coronary artery disease and to evaluate the effect of exercise level on the sensitivity and specificity of these three techniques. Ninety consecutive patients underwent treadmill testing and exercise thallium single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) simultaneously. All 90 patients also underwent coronary angiography within 1 month of the exercise test. We found that exercise thallium SPECT had a significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than either the ST/HT slope or conventional S-T segment criteria (thallium imaging 82%, ST/HR slope 67%, conventional S-T segment criteria 63%). The overall accuracy of the ST/HR slope was slightly but insignificantly greater than conventional S-T segment criteria (ST/HR slope 67%, conventional S-T segment criteria 63%; p = 0.639). In 50 patients with a lower exercise level, defined as not achieving 85% of their maximal predicted heart rate, the accuracy of the ST/HR slope was insignificantly greater (ST/HR slope 72%, conventional S-T segment criteria 66%; p = 0.517). In 40 patients with adequate exercise, the accuracy rate was the same (60%) for both the ST/HR slope and conventional S-T segment criteria. We conclude that exercise thallium imaging is more accurate than the ST/HR slope in diagnosing coronary artery disease and that the accuracy of the ST/HR slope is marginally better than conventional S-T segment criteria only in patients with a lower exercise level, and not in those with adequate exercise.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

Thallium-201 stress imaging in hypertensive patients.

To assess the potential effect of hypertension on the results of thallium-201 stress imaging in patients with chest pain, 272 thallium-201 stress tests performed in 133 hypertensive patients and 139 normotensive patients over a 1-year period were reviewed. Normotensive and hypertensive patients were similar in age, gender distribution, prevalence of cardiac risk factors (tobacco smoking, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus), medications, and clinical symptoms of coronary disease. Electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were present in 16 hypertensive patients. Stepwise probability analysis was used to determine the likelihood of coronary artery disease for each patient. In patients with mid to high likelihood of coronary disease (greater than 25% probability), abnormal thallium-201 stress images were present in 54 of 60 (90%) hypertensive patients compared with 51 of 64 (80%) normotensive patients. However, in 73 patients with a low likelihood of coronary disease (less than or equal to 25% probability), abnormal thallium-201 stress images were present in 21 patients (29%) of the hypertensive group compared with only 5 of 75 (7%) of the normotensive patients (p less than 0.001). These findings suggest that in patients with a mid to high likelihood of coronary artery disease, coexistent hypertension does not affect the results of thallium-201 exercise stress testing. However, in patients with a low likelihood of coronary artery disease, abnormal thallium-201 stress images are obtained more frequently in hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients.

Cardiomegaly↗

Identification of viable myocardium by nitrate echocardiography after myocardial infarction: comparison with planar thallium reinjection scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to validate a new diagnostic tool, nitrate echocardiography (NE), for the identification of viable noncontracting myocardium in patients with a history of prior myocardial infarction (MI). Nitroglycerin (NTG) may be useful for this purpose for its peculiar pharmacodynamic action and may represent an option other than dobutamine echocardiography for the detection of hibernating segments in the presence of severely reduced coronary reserve. METHODS: Twenty selected patients (pts) with an old MI were studied with NE and planar thallium scintigraphy with reinjection. NE was performed by administering i.v. NTG starting at 0.4 mcg/kg/minute with equal increments every five minutes up to 2 mcg/kg/minute or to early interruption of the test (decrease of systolic blood pressure > or = 20% or improvement of previously akinetic segments). Left ventricular wall motion was analyzed by dividing the left ventricle (LV) into 16 segments, and a wall motion score index (WMSI) was calculated. Thallium images were obtained at peak exercise, at four hours, and after reinjection. Myocardial viability was defined as an improvement in thallium uptake after reinjection in fixed defects. RESULTS: Basal echo demonstrated 74 akinetic segments; of these 21 (28%, 11 pts) showed improved contractility during NTG infusion at a mean dose of 0.87 +/-0.33 mcg/kg/minute. WMSI decreased from 1.69 +/- 0.29 to 1.46 +/- 0.31 (P = .001). The only hemodynamic response was a drop in systolic blood pressure (136 mmHg to 124; P = .02). Thallium studies showed 29 segments with a four-hour reversible defect and 79 segments with a four-hour fixed defect; of the latter, 14 regions demonstrated improvement in tracer uptake after reinjection (17.7%; 10 pts). Nine pts had a positive echo and thallium study, while 8 showed no improvement either during NE or after thallium reinjection. Two pts had a false-positive nitrate echocardiogram. Therefore, according to an echo/thallium study match, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy are 90%, 80%, 85%, respectively. CONCLUSION: NE is a reliable and low-cost method for the detection of viable noncontracting myocardium in selected patients with CAD but needs further validation for widespread application.

Aged↗

Soluble or insoluble prussian blue for radiocesium and thallium poisoning?

OBJECTIVE: To review the available English-language literature concerning the efficacy of soluble and insoluble Prussian blue used as a therapeutic agent in radiocesium and thallium poisoning. DATA SOURCES: A thorough search of MEDLINE, Toxline, and EMBASE databases (1960s-August 2003) was performed. Search terms included Prussian blue, thallium, and radiocesium poisoning. Bibliographies of relevant papers were reviewed for additional citations. study selection AND DATA EXTRACTION: Reports and studies of human trials and cases, along with animal and relevant in vitro data, were sought. Data were categorized as insoluble and soluble Prussian blue and by thallium and radiocesium poisoning. DATA SYNTHESIS: The majority of evidence describing the efficacy of Prussian blue for radiocesium poisoning is based on the use of the insoluble form. In contrast, the majority of data supporting the efficacy of Prussian blue in thallium poisoning involves the use of the soluble form. CONCLUSIONS: Insoluble Prussian blue has recently been approved in the US for treatment of both thallium and radiocesium poisoning. While there is sufficient evidence that the insoluble form of Prussian blue is effective in radiocesium poisoning, there is a paucity of analogous data supporting its use in thallium poisoning. Whether the physicochemical differences between soluble and insoluble Prussian blue have any effect on outcomes in human poisoning is not known.

Animals↗

Prospective evaluation of viable myocardium by quantitative dipyridamole-thallium-201 scintigraphy and radionuclide ventriculography.

Improvement of myocardial function is a major goal of coronary revascularization. Considerable interest remains in the preoperative identification of viable myocardium. We examined 26 consecutive patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Serial dipyridamole-thallium imaging and radionuclide ventriculography was performed preoperatively and postoperatively. The relationship between preoperative and postoperative thallium perfusion and segmental wall motion was analyzed. The mean preoperative ejection fraction was 32 +/- 9 (21 to 51%) and increased to 41 +/- 12 (17 to 67%) postoperatively (p > 0.01). Seventy-seven percent of patients improved their global ejection fraction postoperatively by > 5%. Thallium perfusion improved postoperatively in 84% of reversible defects vs 63% of partially reversible defects and 35% of fixed defects. Segments with either reversible or partially reversible thallium defects showed an improved postoperative wall motion in 71% and 68%, respectively. Postoperative wall motion improved in 43% of fixed defects. Overall, 67% of hypokinetic segments showed improved postoperative wall motion while only 29% of akinetic or dyskinetic segments improved postoperatively. Preoperative thallium redistribution coupled with preserved wall motion was predictive of improvement in wall motion was predictive of improvement in wall motion postoperatively and indirectly indicates myocardial viability. However, 43% of fixed defects also showed improved postoperative wall motion. A significant improvement in global ejection fraction was found and could be predicted by a linear regression analysis utilizing clinical and thallium parameters.

Aged↗

Comparison of thallium-201 and gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy in the diagnosis of pulmonary disease.

Gallium is presently used in the diagnosis of inflammatory, granulomatous, and neoplastic lung disease despite its many logistical problems. In contrast, thallium-201 scintigraphy, which was initially developed for myocardial imaging, offers the principal advantage of immediate imaging and diagnosis although it had not been investigated previously for use in pulmonary disease. In this study, thallium and gallium were prospectively compared with each other for the diagnosis of a variety of lung diseases. The overall concordance rate was 75%. Thallium was found to be significantly more sensitive than gallium for the entire group studied (N = 51, p < 0.006). In a subset of patients in whom a firm diagnosis was established, thallium was also found to be more sensitive, 86% vs 64%. The greater sensitivity of thallium-201 and its several inherent advantages suggest that thallium-201 should replace gallium-67 citrate as the radioisotope of choice for nuclear imaging of the chest.

Adolescent↗

Thallium-201 scanning for the evaluation of osteosarcoma and soft-tissue sarcoma. A study of the evaluation and predictability of the histological response to chemotherapy.

We evaluated sequential thallium scans, made before and after a period of preoperative chemotherapy, for sixteen patients who had a high-grade sarcoma of bone or soft tissue. The purpose was to determine whether this technique could be used to ascertain accurately the amount of viable tumor as well as to predict the response to chemotherapy. Nine of the ten patients who had a reduced thallium uptake after chemotherapy also had a marked histological response, with necrosis of the tumor of at least 95 per cent. Six patients were seen to have no improvement on the thallium scans, and this finding correlated with necrosis of the tumor of less than 95 per cent. Thallium chloride has been shown to have an affinity for a variety of osteosarcomas and soft-tissue sarcomas. The mechanism of intracellular uptake is one of active transport, which makes thallium chloride a more accurate barometer of the viability of the tumor cells and of metabolic activity than scanning agents that are flow-dependent. We believe that sequential thallium scintigraphy should be used in conjunction with other imaging modalities in the diagnosis, planning of treatment, and follow-up evaluation of patients who have a sarcoma of bone or soft tissue. This technique appears to be useful in the prediction of the histological response of high-grade osteosarcomas and soft-tissue sarcomas to preoperative chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Myocardial rest iodine-123-beta-methyl-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid scintigraphy compared with dipyridamole stress thallium-201 scintigraphy in unstable angina.

Twelve patients with stable angina and 12 patients with unstable angina underwent rest iodine-123-beta-methyl-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP), dipyridamole stress thallium scintigraphy and delayed thallium scintigraphy. In stable angina, sensitivity for detecting ischemic segments was higher in dipyridamole thallium (74%) than rest BMIPP (48%) images (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the 2 images in unstable angina. In unstable angina, the incidence of segments with higher defect scores on BMIPP images than on delayed thallium images and the opposite pattern was 27 and 5 (p<0.01). In stable angina, there was no difference. The mean defect score on BMIPP (6.3 +/- 5.6) was higher than that on delayed thallium scintigraphy (2.9 +/- 2.7) and it was almost the same as on the initial dipyridamole stress test (6.5 +/- 5.2). In conclusion, BMIPP scintigraphy is safer and may be as useful in detecting myocardial ischemia in patients with unstable angina as thallium scintigraphy.

Angina Pectoris↗

AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma: findings on thallium-201 scintigraphy.

No simple, noninvasive method is available for evaluating extracutaneous Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients or for following the tumor's response to treatment. We report our preliminary experience with thallium-201 scintigraphy in nine AIDS patients with proved Kaposi sarcoma. Eight of the nine had abnormal uptake of the radionuclide in skin, lymph nodes, oral cavity, vagina, and lungs. Only four of the nine had cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma at the time of scanning. All cutaneous and mucosal lesions were thallium avid. Two of the six patients with thallium-avid nodes underwent nodal biopsy. Both biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of Kaposi sarcoma. Cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma developed later in one of these patients, showing the efficacy of thallium scintigraphy for the early detection of extracutaneous lesions. These preliminary results show thallium avidity in Kaposi sarcoma involving the skin and various extracutaneous sites (lymph nodes, lung, mucosa, and vagina). Thallium scintigraphy is a potentially useful procedure for detecting extracutaneous Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Thallium poisoning--toxin elimination and therapy in three cases.

Three cases of thallium poisoning occurred within the same family after eating a meal of poisoned sour milk. The 58 year old mother died after four days cardiovascular insufficiency. Massive thallium concentrations were found in blood, urine, liver and kidney. The 59 year old father presented after four days with a neurology typical for classic thallotoxicosis with potentially lethal blood thallium levels. This patient recovered after therapy including Prussian Blue, forced diuresis and two six hour hemoperfusions with a charcoal column. Urinary elimination of thallium over two weeks was almost 300 mg, whereas a maximum total of 63 mg were removed with hemoperfusion. A retrospective estimate of the total dose ingested and the large distribution volume of thallium suggest that hemoperfusion did not affect the course of the intoxication. The 28 year old son, later convicted for homicide, was admitted on the tenth day after the meal with very discrete neurological symptoms. This patient had low blood and urine thallium levels. He recovered uneventfully after treatment with Prussian Blue and forced diuresis. However, both surviving patients developed alopecia after two weeks. All three patients had raised liver transaminases. Intensive therapy with gut decontamination, Prussian Blue and forced diuresis should be the mainstay of therapy.

Adult↗