[Simultaneous 201Tl/99mTC seven-pinhole tomography in acute myocardial infarct]

Combined infarction scintigraphy with 201Tl-chloride and 99mTc-pyrophosphate (PPi) by simultaneous seven-pinhole tomography was investigated with a phantom as well as in patients. No artificial defects occurred when the collimator was centered correctly in axial position, but a very high standard of image uniformity and linearity of the gamma camera was required. Artefacts by overlying activity from the skeleton or cardiac blood pool were not observed. All 11 controls showed normal results. Despite a poor depth resolution due to limitations of the system even small areas of partially damaged myocardium could be recognized and correlated three-dimensionally. Of 24 patients with proven myocardial infarction, in 16 both a positive (99mTc-PPi) and a negative (201Tl) image was obtained in congruence with the necrosis. 8 patients (33%) showed discordant results providing however additional information on the nature and extent of the necrosis. 4 out of 6 non-transmural infarctions seen by tomography had been suspected clinically.