Clinical usefulness of 123I-labeled 15-iodophenyl 3-methyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) myocardial SPECT in coronary artery disease

123I-BMIPP (BMIPP) myocardial SPECT was carried out in 22 patients with acute myocardial infarction, in 20 patients with unstable angina pectoris, in 80 patients with effort angina pectoris and in 25 patients with vasospastic angina pectoris. In a study of patients with acute myocardial infarction, BMIPP uptake was less than thallium perfusion in areas of myocardial infarction. Such discordant BMIPP/thallium uptake was often observed in areas with recanalized arteries, and in those with abnormal wall motion. In the areas showing discordant BMIPP/thallium uptake, the wall motion abnormalities improved in the chronic phase after recanalization therapy. Therefore, the discordant BMIPP/thallium uptake might represent asynergic but viable regions, and might be valuable in predicting the improvement of wall motion abnormalities. In a study of patients with unstable angina pectoris, the severity of regional wall motion abnormality was significantly correlated with severity of BMIPP uptake. BMIPP imaging well visualized the culprit regions in patients with unstable angina pectoris. In a study of patients with effort angina pectoris, the abnormal BMIPP images were associated with severe coronary artery stenosis of more than 90% and with multivessel stenosis. BMIPP imaging could detect patients with functionally severe coronary artery disease and help to guide coronary angioplasty in patients with effort angina. In a study of patients with vasospastic angina pectoris, metabolic abnormality assessed by BMIPP was associated with left ventricular asynergy and spastic regions. Those abnormalities also correlated inversely with the period from the last attack, and improved after medical treatment. (K.H.)