Prognostic value of myocardial perfusion gated SPECT in patients with symptomatic intracranial large-artery atherosclerosis
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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography
Published on: February 16, 2016
J Candell-Riera1, J F Arenillas, G Romero-Farina
1Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. jcandell@vhebron.net
Background:
We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of myocardial perfusion gated SPECT in patients with symptomatic intracranial large-artery atherosclerosis (ILA).
Methods:
Seventy-two consecutive first-ever symptomatic ILA patients without known heart disease underwent a stress myocardial perfusion gated SPECT, and long-term follow-up was conducted thereafter.
Results:
During an average follow-up of 15.2 +/- 9 months, 9 patients (13.8%) presented major coronary events (CEs). Survival analyses (Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression) identified presence of moderate-to-severe myocardial perfusion defects (log rank p = 0.004) and ejection fraction <50% (p = 0.014) as predictors of future CEs. Neurovascular ischemic events were not predicted by SPECT variables.
Conclusion:
Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy predicts future CEs in patients with symptomatic ILA and may be helpful to guide therapeutic strategies in this subgroup of stroke patients.