Pharmaceutical interviews to overcome digestive artefacts on [ 99m Tc]Tc‐tetrofosmin myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
Abstract
What is known and objectives Poor image quality was randomly seen in [Tc-99m]Tc-tetrofosmin myocardial perfusion scintigraphic imaging. The interference hampered or even precluded medical interpretation. Our objective was to identify the cause of the random interferences.
Methods Out of 40 patients planned for [Tc-99m]Tc-tetrofosmin MPS, 36 presented normal tracer uptake and 4 exhibited subdiaphragmatic artefacts. Pharmaceutical interviews (P.I.) were set up to formally identify aetiologies of subdiaphragmatic uptake of [Tc-99m]Tc-tetrofosmin. Patients were questioned about their diet and current drug treatments. Results and discussion P.I. led to identification of dipyridamole as the cause of the artefacts. The systematic ingestion of a solid 25-gram high-fat snack bar and a glass of fresh water was introduced immediately after the injection of dipyridamole in 12 other patients undergoing [Tc-99m]Tc-tetrofosmin MPS. None of the 12 patients presented subdiaphragmatic artefacts. What is new and conclusion P.I. identified the cause of poor scintigraphic images to allow improved diagnoses.