HIGH-INCIDENCE OF SCINTIGRAPHIC MYOCARDIAL UPTAKE DEFECTS AT REST ANDDURING EXERCISE IN MALE ELITE RUNNERS

Objective-To evaluate the usefulness of myocardial perfusion scintigra phy (MIBI-SPECT) as a diagnostic tool in well trained men. Design-The study was prospective, involving 2 d stress-rest myocardial scintigrap hy (MIBI-SPECT), polar map reconstruction with and without uniform att enuation correction, and comparison with a healthy male group (local S wedish) and with a commonly used reference group (American, Emery Univ ersity Hospital). Setting-University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Subj ects-16 healthy, male elite runners (mean (SD) age 26.1 (3.1) years). Peak oxygen uptake 73 (4) ml O-2/kg/min. Results-Uptake defects on pol ar maps were found in the majority of the runners compared with both r eference groups (local Swedish 13/16, American 10/16). Most defects (9 1%) were fixed. Defects were located in the anterior, lateral, and pos terior regions of the left ventricle. Application of a uniform attenua tion correction algorithm enhanced rather than reduced perfusion defec t size, probably because this correction method is imperfect in SPECT studies of the thoracic cavity. Conclusions-If myocardial perfusion sc intigraphy is used for evaluating well trained men, existing normal re ference files for semiquantitative evaluation appear to be inadequate.