[en] The clinical usefulness of thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scanning with emission computed tomography (ECT) for evaluation of left ventricular myocardial fibrosis was assessed on 47 patients with Duchenne (DMD), facioscapulohumeral (FSH), limb-girdle (LG) and myotonic (MT) dystrophy. Trans-, long- and short-axial images were interpreted quantitatively by circumferential profile analysis, and the fibrotic tissue size (%FIB) was estimated by integration of hypoperfused areas in 6 to 8 consecutive short-axial slices. Lung/mediastinum count ratios (L/M ratio), LV cavity dilatation, aneurysm formation and cardiac malrotations were also assessed with ECT. Distinct ECT perfusion defect was observed in 26 of 29 DMDs, and in 11 of 18 patients with other types. Perfusion defect was demonstrated in 95 of total 235 segments, and was observed specifically in the posterior wall (82 %) and the apex (65 %) in DMD, and was scattered in all LV wall segments in FSH, LG, and MT. Percent FIB correlated significantly with L/M ratio (r = 0.82, p < 0.01), and did not with age or clinical stage score. ECT showed marked LV dilatation in 7, apical aneurysm in 5 and cardiac malrotation in 23 of the 47 patients. In conclusion, ECT was considered to be a useful clinical means of evaluating myocardial involvement in patients with muscular dystrophy. (author)