Objective: To assess, by scintillography, the effect of using bilateral internal thoracic arteries (BITAs) -prepared by two different techniques -on the sternal perfusion.Method: 35 patients undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were divided into two groups: Group A (18) had both ITA's dissected using skeletonization technique and group B (17) as pedicle preparation. There was no difference in the two groups relating gender, age and demographic characteristics. On the 7 th postoperative day the patients underwent bone scintillography. The statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test with 95% significance.Results: Group A (skeletonized ITA) showed higher perfusion (11.5%) of the sternum as a mean, than Group B (pedicled ITA) patients; however this was not statistically significant (P = 0.127). On the other hand, comparing the 004).Conclusions: 1 -Sternal perfusion is not affected significantly apart from the dissection technique used for both internal thoracic arteries in the general population when assessed by bone scintillography. 2 -In the diabetic subgroup, a significant preservation of the sternal perfusion was observed in patients undergone skeletonized dissection of the internal thoracic arteries. Although these findings should be confirmed in a greater number of cases, diabetic patients should have the internal thoracic arteries dissected using skeletonization techinque.Descriptors: Sternum. Mammary arteries. Tomography, emission-computed. 158SANTOS FILHO, EC ET AL -Should the diabetics have the internal thoracic artery skeletonized? Assessment of sternal perfusion by scintillography Bras Cir Cardiovasc 2009; 24(2): 157-164 Rev