REST TECHNETIUM-99M-SESTAMIBI TOMOSCINTIGRAPHY IN HIBERNATING MYOCARDIUM

The myocardial uptake of rest-injected technetium 99m sestamibi on sin gle-photon-emission computed tomographic images was assessed in 25 pat ients. All had an area ct myocardial dysfunction that could be related to a coronary artery stenosis. None of the patients had clinical evid ence of a myocardial infarction. Three months after revascularization, viability was demonstrated by contrast angiography and center-line an alysis in 21 (78%) of the 27 formerly hibernating territories. Among t hese, none had a transmural defect, and 38% had a normal technetium gs m-sestamibi uptake. The four transmural preoperative defects were loca ted in territories without viability. Eight of the 9 territories that were normal at scintigraphy proved to be viable postoperatively, It is concluded that as long as some residual technetium gsm-sestamibi upta ke is present, viable myocardium is also present.