Radionuclide study for cardiac lesion in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Tl-201 myocardial scintigraphy and radionuclide ventriculography with Tc-99m were performed in 10 patients with Duchenne muscular dystropohy (DMD) and 2 siblings with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). Perfusion defect especially in the left ventricular posterolateral wall (LVPLW) and cardiac apex was seen on Tl-201 imaging in 6 of the DMD patients and one of the BMD patients. For these patients, Tc-99m imaging also showed left ventricular local wall motion abnormality in 5 patients and a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction in 4 patients. These findings coincided well with fibrosis of the LVPLW found on autopsy. There were individual differences regarding the occurrence of cardiac complications. One of the BMD patients, as well as DMD patients, had also cardiac complications which have long been considered less common. (Namekawa, K.)