Hiroshi Chiba

Detection of impaired fatty acid metabolism in right ventricular hypertrophy: Assessment by I-123 β-methyl iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography

Fatty acid metabolism has been reported to be impaired earlier than myocardial blood flow in left ventricular hypertrophic myocardium, e.g., in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or hypertensive heart disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether impaired fatty acid metabolism also occurs in right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy. The subjects consisted of 6 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 4 with primary pulmonary hypertension, 2 each with refractory pulmonary tuberculosis, tricuspid insufficiency, pulmonary embolism, 1 each with atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect (Eisenmenger complex), Ebstein anomaly, and endocardial defect, and 7 healthy controls. SPECT imaging with Tl-201 (Tl) and I-123 β-methyliodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP), and Tc-99m RBC first pass and gated blood pool scintigraphy were performed. Based on Tl planar images, the subjects were classified into 3 groups: 7 patients with no RV visualization (Group A), 11 with moderate RV visualization (Group B) and 9 with marked RV visualization (Group C). As a semi-quantitative evaluation by Tl myocardial SPECT, 3 regions in 3 representative short axial images were divided into 9 segments, each of which was graded from 0 to +3, and their sum was calculated as the RV score. The right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and the left ventricular ejection fraction were obtained by Tc-99m RBC cardiac scintigraphy. The groups with marked visualization of the right ventricle had lower RVEF (p < 0.01), and there was a good correlation between the RVEF and the RV score with both Tl and BMIPP (Tl: r = −0.79, BMIPP: r = −0.70). Although a good correlation was demonstrated between the RV score with Tl and BMIPP in Groups A and B (r = 0.86, p < 0.001), in Group C, in which there was marked RV Tl visualization, the RV score with BMIPP was significantly smaller than with Tl (BMIPP vs. Tl: 11.5 ± 3.7 vs. 16.4 ± 3.8, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that impaired fatty acid metabolism may exist in severely hypertrophic right ventricle due to RV overload.

Therapeutic effect of co-enzyme Q10 on idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: assessment by iodine-123 labelled 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3(R,S)-methylpentadecanoic acid myocardial single-photon emission tomography.

It has been reported that myocardial mitochondrial function can be improved by the administration of co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Recently, iodine-123 labelled 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R, S)-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) was developed for metabolic imaging using single-photon emission tomography (SPET). This study was conducted to determine whether the therapeutic effects of CoQ10 on idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy can be evaluated by BMIPP myocardial SPET. Fifteen patients, comprising 14 men and one woman (mean age: 64±12 years), were examined. CoQ10 was administered at 30 mg/day for a period of 35.7±12.4 days. BMIPP myocardial SPET was carried out belote and after CoQ 10 treatment. The count ratio of the heart (H) to the upper mediastinum (M) (H/M ratio) was calculated using a region of interest method with anterior planar imaging. Representative short-axis tomograms were divided into 27 segments (three slicesxnine segments). Each segmental score was analysed semiquantitatively using a four-point scoring system (normal=0, mild low uptake=1, severe low uptake=2, defect=3). The H/M ratio showed a significant improvement., from 2.39±0.39 to 2.54±0.47, after treatment (P<0.05). The BMIPP total defect score after CoQ10 treatment was significantly decreased to 10.1±43, compared to 13.9±4.5 without CoQ10 treatment (P<0.001). However, the percent fractional shortening measured using echocardiography was not significantly different before and alter CoQ treatment (19.2±8.1 vs 19.7±7.1). BMIPP myocardial SPET was confirmed to be sensitive in evaluating the therapeutic effects of CoQ 10 in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. This method is unique, since the therapeutic effects can be estimated from the perspective of metabolic SPET imaging.