BMIPP imaging to assess functional outcome in patients with acute and chronic left ventricular dysfunction

Assessment of myocardial viability is an important clinical issue for patie nt management during the acute and chronic stages of myocardial infarction. BMIPP (15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S)-methyl pentadecanoic acid) is a free fatt y acid analogue which is trapped in the myocardium, thus permitting for met abolic imaging with single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). Less BMIPP than flow tracers that may be observed in the areas of infarcti on, may reflect the metabolic shift from fatty acid to glucose utilization in ischaemic myocardium. In this sense, the combined imaging of BMIPP and a flow tracer with SPECT may provide similar and important information as fl uoro-18 deoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) regarding the assessment of myocardial viability. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical impact of BMIPP in patients with acute and with chronic left ventricular dysfunction for the identification of jeopardized but via ble myocardium and the prediction of the functional outcome.