Myocardial defect detected by 123I-BMIPP scintigraphy and left ventricular dysfunction in patients with idiopathic...

The present study examined the role of myocardial fatty acid in patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (DCM) by means of 123I-beta-methyl-p-iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) scintigraphy. Thirteen patients underwent 123I-BMIPP imaging, 201Tl imaging and echocardiography. All patients showed defective myocardial uptake of 123I-BMIPP and 201Tl. The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (64.1 +/- 7.3 mm vs. 55.6 +/- 1.5 mm, p < 0.05) and end-systolic dimension (52.4 +/- 8.0 mm vs. 40.6 +/- 2.1 mm, p < 0.01) were significantly large in the defect group (123I-BMIPP defect score (DS) > 8) than the small defect group (DS < 7). The % fractional shortening (%FS) was also significantly smaller (18.6 +/- 3.8% vs. 27.0 +/- 3.3%, p < 0.01) in the large defect group. The 123I-BMIPP DS correlated statistically with %FS (r = 0.75, p < 0.01), while the 201Tl DS did not (r = 0.41, ns). We conclude that the patients with DCM revealed a 123I-BMIPP uptake defect and the defect reflected the degree of left ventricular dysfunction.