TOE is accurate in assessing PV anatomy and in showing anatomic variations in the PV ostia compared with MRA. Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage is more frequent than expected. TOE can provide functional Doppler information, thus being particularly useful in the follow-up after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

In our long-term follow-up, MIBI SPECT and echocardiography appeared to be significant and independent prognostic tools in the risk stratification of patients with stable, uncomplicated infarcts, furnishing complementary information. The reversibility of MIBI defects appeared the best indicator for a bad prognosis.

No abstract

To date several studies have evaluated the accuracy of thallium-201 myocardial scan in risk stratification of coronary artery disease (CAD), while reports using technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI), a tracer particularly suited to single-photon emission tomographic (SPET) imaging, are lacking. To rectify this omission, a prospective study was started in 1988 and at present 176 consecutive, and thus unselected, patients have been enrolled. All of them have been submitted to stress-rest MIBI SPET for the diagnosis or evaluation of CAD; 147 patients (121 males and 26 females, aged 53 +/- 9 years) have completed a surveillance period of at least 36 months following the scintigraphic study (range 36-60 months, mean 43). Sixty-one patients had a documented previous myocardial infarction. The mean pre-test likelihood of CAD was 44% in the patients without prior infarction. The main anamnestic, clinical, EKG and scintigraphic findings were evaluated and statistically correlated with the incidence of ensuing cardiac events using both univariate (chi-square test) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression model). Twenty-nine patients suffered from a cardiac event during the follow-up period (i.e. three cardiac deaths, six myocardial infarctions and 20 cases of unstable angina). Statistical multivariate analysis identified MIBI scan as the only highly significant and independent prognostic predictor [P = 0.006, relative risk (RR) = 17.62]. In detail, the most important scintigraphic parameters were the presence of a reversible defect (P = 0.0089, RR = 5.11) and the extension of the stress perfusion defect (P = 0.0255, RR = 3.27). The presence of typical angina proved to be a slightly significant predictor (P = 0.051, RR = 2.45), while no other examined parameter showed a significant correlation with a bad prognosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Severe right atrial conduction delay is present in one-third of patients with SND and AF: continuous pacing at the IAS is superior to RAA for AF recurrences. In patients without severe conduction delay, no differences between pacing site or mode were observed.