Correlation between plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration and lung thallium-201 uptake on exercise thallium perfusion images.

The plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration at rest correlates with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP). High lung thallium-201 uptake has been reported to be associated with hemodynamic variables such as LVEDP, LVEF, and PCWP. However, there is no study that has investigated the correlation of plasma BNP concentration with lung thallium-201 uptake. We examined whether the plasma BNP concentration was related to lung thallium-201 uptake. Before exercise, venous blood samples were obtained from 39 patients with old myocardial infarction. We investigated the correlations between plasma BNP concentration and lung thallium-201 uptake, and whether they were related to LVEF, extent of nonviable myocardium, and ischemic myocardium, respectively, with thallium-201 exercise stress testing. The plasma BNP concentration significantly correlated with lung thallium-201 uptake (P < 0.05), nonviable segments (P < 0.01), and LVEF (P < 0.01). Lung thallium-201 uptake correlated with nonviable segments (P < 0.01). Our results suggest that increased secretion of BNP is related to increased lung thallium-201 uptake, and they are related to the extent of nonviable myocardium and decreased left ventricular function. Plasma BNP concentration and lung thalium-201 uptake may reflect the extent of myocardial fibrosis causing myocyte stretch.