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Background: Recent development of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) has made the detection of myocardial bridge (MB) easier on the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The LAD segment proximal to the MB is well known to be susceptible to atherosclerosis. Anatomical characteristics of MB on LAD in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) were examined by MDCT. Methods and Results:Subjects were 43 MI patients who had MB in the LAD and comprised 2 groups: 14 with culprit lesions in the LAD proximal to MB (culprit group) and 29 without culprit lesions in the LAD (non-culprit group). MB length, MB thickness, and the distance from the orifice of left main trunk (LMT) to MB entrance were compared. Age and coronary risk factors showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. MB length (P=0.011), MB thickness (P=0.035), and index of the length multiplied by thickness of MB (P=0.031) were significantly greater in the culprit group. The distance from the orifice of the LMT to MB entrance was significantly shorter in the culprit group (P=0.006).Conclusions: Anatomical properties of MB, such as length and thickness of MB as well as MB location, are associated with the formation of culprit lesions of LAD proximal to MB in MI. (Circ J 2011; 75: 642 - 648)

Background:The distribution of left ventricular (LV) fibrosis and the percent fibrosis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were evaluated using late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) MRI. Then the relation with the LV ejection fraction (EF) and deceleration time (DT), an index of diastolic function obtained using echocardiography, was investigated. Methods and Results:LGEMRI at 20 min after intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA (0.15±0.03 mmol/kg) was performed in 17 patients with DCM. The distribution of the LV enhanced area and LGE rate (%) were calculated. EF, as well as E/A ratio and DT were obtained using echocardiography.LGE was observed in 15 out of 17 patients (88%) and the enhanced region appeared to represent myocardial fibrosis. The LV fibrosis was often found in the intraventricular septum (IVS), but there were no differences in its distribution. The LGE rate (%) had a correlation between cardiac magnetic resonance ejection fraction (

AimsLoop diuretics are essential for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) but short-acting diuretics are reported to induce sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. This study was performed to compare therapeutic effects of two loop diuretics, long-acting azosemide and short-acting furosemide, using 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ( 123 I-MIBG) scintigraphy. Methods and resultsTwenty-two patients with New York Heart Association class II-III heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, who required treatment with a loop diuretic, were included. In this crossover study, 11 patients were randomized to azosemide treatment first and the remaining 11 patients to furosemide. Treatments were administered for 6 months and then patients were crossed over to the second treatment. 123 I-MIBG scintigraphy was performed before and 6 months after the start of treatment with each loop diuretic. Early and delayed images were obtained 20 min and 4 h after administration of 123 I-MIBG, respectively; and the heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio and washout rate (WR) were measured. In addition, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and norepinephrine were measured before and 6 months after the start of treatment. No differences were observed between the two groups in terms of concomitant medication, cause of heart failure, H/M ratio, WR, BNP, norepinephrine, or LVEF. The azosemide group exhibited a significant increase in delayed image H/M ratio, and a significant decrease in WR and norepinephrine after the final administration compared with the furosemide group. ConclusionThis study indicates that azosemide suppresses SNS activation compared with furosemide in patients with CHF, suggesting that long-acting loop diuretics may have more beneficial effects on the prognosis of CHF.--

Primary chylopericardium is an extremely rare disease. This report presents two cases of this disease, in a 47-year-old man and 21 -year-old woman. Both cases were given diagnosis of primary chylopericardium by chylous pericardial fluid examination and lymphangio-scintigraphy which demonstrated abnormal communication between the left thoracic duct and the pericardial cavity.