Comparison of angiographic with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy findings in cardiac syndrome X (CSX)

M. Yaghoubi, S.H. Arefi, M. Assadi*

Department of Cardiology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran)
*The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr (Iran)

 

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• Cardiology

Objective: Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is defined by an angina-like chest pain, a positive response to stress testing and normal or near normal coronary angiogram. We evaluated the angiographic findings in patients with cardiac syndrome X and compared it with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy findings.

Patients and Methods: The study included 39 females aged 40-58 years (mean, 49.79 ± 4.69 [SD] and 13 males ranging from 40 to 54 years (mean, 47.54 ± 3.76 [SD] with CSX. By reviewing the angiographic film, some variables including stenosis (less than 30% of vessel diameter), delay run off, delay wash out, calcification and tortuosity were evaluated. Thirty-two had been undergone on myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).

Results: The most frequent abnormal angiographic finding in three territories was stenosis item. Overall, 22 of 32 (68.75%) CSX patients had ischemia on MPI. The result of the myocardial perfusion imaging was not concordant with five angiographic findings.

Conclusion: We suggest that the presence of angiographic coronary findings such as stenosis, delay run off, delay wash out, calcification and tortuosity are not invariably associated with atherosclerosis, and also seen in CSX patients.

Corresponding Author: Majid Assadi, MD; e-mail: assadipoya@yahoo.com, asadi@bpums.ac.ir