The comparison of 2-18F-2-deoxyglucose and 15-(ortho-123I-phenyl)-pentadecanoic acid uptake in persisting defects on thallium-201 tomography in myocardial infarction.

The myocardial uptake of glucose and fatty acids into 201Tl redistribution defects were studied in 32 patients with myocardial infarction by tomography using 2-18F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) and 15-(ortho-123I-phenyl)-pentadecanoic acid (oPPA). A total of 1153 segments were analyzed, 408 (35%) of which showed a persistent thallium-defect in stress-redistribution images. Of the segments with a decreased 201Tl uptake in these redistribution tomograms, 50.5% had a decreased uptake of both FDG and oPPA; in 21.8% FDG as well as oPPA uptake was within normal range. Normal FDG uptake but decreased oPPA uptake was detected in 17.4%, whereas 10.3% of the segments had normal oPPA uptake but decreased FDG uptake (chi-square test, p less than 0.001). A significant correlation of FDG and oPPA uptake (r = 0.51) was found in the segments with persistent 201Tl defect. Thus, a substantial fraction of persistent thallium-defects after healed myocardial infarction exhibit FDG as well as oPPA uptake, probably due to residual fatty acid metabolism in partially ischemic regions.