Echocardiographic and radionuclide techniques are the most common techniques currently used to assess ventricular function. The aim of our study was to assess the performance of two well-known methods for analysis of gated myocardial perfusion with comparison to echocardiography in children. We analyzed the data from 64 children referred for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. All underwent echocardiography and stress gated myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, except 5 who had only rest scintigraphy. We calculated the left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions. The parametric information from the echocardiographic reports was compared to the data obtained using gated myocardial perfusion. The reliability between the quantitative gated scintigraphy, the Emory cardiac toolbox, and echocardiography for end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and ejection fractions in studies performed at rest were calculated at 0.85, 0.86 and 0.97, respectively using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The values in stress studies were 0.83, 0.86 and 0.90, respectively. There was a high correlation, with r more than 0.88, between quantitative gated scintigraphy and the Emory cardiac toolbox for ejection fractions, and end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, in studies performed both under stress and at rest. Weak correlation was observed between quantitative gated scintigraphy and the Emory cardiac toolbox compared to echocardiography, especially when considering ventricular volumes in stress studies. Although high correlation was observed between quantitative gated scintigraphy and the Emory cardiac toolbox, comparison with echocardiography showed poor agreement for both, meaning that scintigraphy is less suitable for assessing left ventricular volumes, and less reliable in assessment of ejection fractions. Echocardiography seems to remain the most widely used and reliable technique for this part of the diagnostic work up.

This study looks at case series of malignant otitis externa, outlines detailed structural (radiological) and functional (radionuclide) investigations, and discusses their utility in the initial diagnosis, patient management and follow up of this condition.

Patients were investigated by computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), two-phase planar and single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), technetium-99m methylenediphosphonate bone scans, gallium-67 planar and SPECT scans, and indium-111 or technetium-99m labelled WBC planar and SPECT scintigraphy.

We discuss example case reports with the various radiological and scintigraphic findings and outline a protocol for rational investigation.

It is concluded that CT and/or MRI should be supported by routine SPECT bone imaging for initial diagnosis of malignant otitis externa. Routine SPECT bone imaging further supplemented by gallium scintigraphy should be the investigation of choice in the follow up of these cases for assessing response to treatment and disease recurrence.

The aim of this study is to compare the scintigraphic results of a denervated submandibular gland with the contralateral normal side in patients with unilateral chorda tympani damage. Sixteen patients (11 women and five men with a mean age of 27) with unilateral proven chorda tympani damage during their previous ear surgery were included in the study. The perfusion ratio (PR), concentration ratio (CR) and stimulated excretion ratio (SER) were calculated scintigraphically and the results from the salivary glands on opposite sides were compared.

For submandibular glands, the perfusion ratio (PR), concentration ratio (CR) and stimulated excretion ratio (SER) were found to be 0.65 ± 0.21, 0.70 ± 0.21, 0.79 ± 0.37, respectively. All ratios resulted from statistically decreased radioactivity accumulation on the affected side (p<0.05).

Chorda tympani damage negatively affects the function of the ipsilateral submandibular glands despite the absence of atrophy. Dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy is a practical and valuable method of disclosing the decreased capacity of perfusion, concentration and secretion function in unilateral neurological deprivation.

High-resolution, tympano-cochlear scintigraphy (TCS) is a useful tool for visualizing changes in labyrinthine bone metabolism in active otosclerosis in vivo. But until now, the activity patterns have mostly been rather imprecisely ascribed to the labyrinthine structures; more exactly by means of high- resolution CT (HR-CT). Experimental studies on TCS using a human temporal bone model revealed that correlative imaging of X-ray photographs and the scintigrams or superimposition with masks of the temporal bone drawn from the X-rays can facilitate the localization of small foci of about 0.5–1 mm.

Clinical applications of the visualization technique, combining functional with structural images, confirmed the benefit of this method, improving the accuracy in detection and localization of focal activity enrichment of the petrous bone in cases of active otosclerosis by means of TCS.

We describe the case of a 50-year-old previously well female, who presented with a slowly growing mass in the right submandibular region. Imaging confirmed the absence of a normally placed thyroid and the presence of a lingual thyroid. The submandibular mass was excised and histological examination confirmed ectopic thyroid tissue. The embryological descent of the thyroid and the Sistrunk procedure are discussed as well as the importance of thyroid scanning in neck lumps.

Polysomnography is currently used for diagnosis, evaluation and selection of therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but clinically successful uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is not necessarily reflected by post-operative improvement of polysomnographic recordings. Post-operative polysomnography may suggest deterioration of pre-existing OSA or, in snorers, de-novo precipitation of OSA. Thus, if polysomnography is a reliable indicator of OSA, then OSA may be a post-operative risk of UPPP. The aims of our study were: (i) to assess the possible deleterious effect of UPPP on sleep patterns; (ii) to further define the role of cardioisotope scanning in the evaluation of OSA; (iii) to assess the reliability of polysomnography given the clinical and cardioisotope scan findings. Symptoms, polysomnography and radionuclide ventriculography were prospectively compared pre- and post-operatively in 41 patients undergoing UPPP. In 12 patients (29 per cent), there were disparate results between pre- or post-operative polysomnography and the clinical and/or radionuclide ventriculography, as follows: In four of 16 patients with abnormal pre-operative ventricular performance, there was pre-operative symptomatology of severe OSA and a bedmate's reports of apnoeic episodes. This was in contrast to normal or near normal sleep apnoea recordings. In eight patients, post-operative improvement of symptoms was reported, despite deterioration of post-operative polysomnographic recordings. In these patients the post-operative improvement of symptoms was also reflected by improved ventricular performance. Worsening of ventricular performance was not demonstrated in any patient. In conclusion, UPPP does not induce OSA. Polysomnography may underestimate or even misdiagnose cases of OSA. The diagnostic importance of patient symptomatology should be stressed particularly in those patients with only mildly abnormal or even completely normal sleep studies. A combination of polysomnographic and cardiovascular evaluation in patients with symptomatology consistent with OSA is recommended.