• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2009

Positron emission tomogrpahy (PET) represents the most advanced scintigraphic imaging technology. With the increase in availability of PET, the clinical use of PET has grown in medical fields. This can be employed for cardiovascular research as well as for clinical applications in patients with various cardiovascular disease. PET allows non-invasive functional assessment of myocardial perfusion, substrate metabolism and cardiac innervation and receptors as well as gene expression in vivo. PET is regarded as the gold standard for the detection of myocardial viability, and it is the only method available for the quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow. This review focuses on the clinical applications of myocardial perfusion PET in coronary artery disease.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.131-134
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• 2023

Here, we present a case of a 56-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction. The patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the left main bifurcation and mid-left anterior descending artery using drugeluting stents. Four months after the PCI, the patient was readmitted for cardiac arrest. Coronary angiography (CAG) revealed stent thrombosis in the left main-to-proximal left anterior descending artery and in-stent restenosis in the left main-to-proximal left circumflex artery. We performed balloon angioplasty at the left main to mid-left anterior descending artery and left main to proximal left circumflex artery stents; subsequently, blood flow was fully restored. However, contrast agent extravasation was observed outside the mid-portion of the left main artery to the proximal left anterior descending artery stent, indicating the presence of a coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) outside the stent. After guideline-directed medical therapy with dual antiplatelet agents and high-intensity statins, follow-up CAG revealed near-resolution of the CAA, absence of stenotic lesions, and good blood flow.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.41.2-41.2
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• 2001

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: We analyzed whether C-11 acetate positron emission tomography (PET) can be used for the evaluation of non-infarct-related artery (NIRA) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 31 patients with STEMI and at least one NIRA stenosis (diameter stenosis [DS] ≥ 50%). C-11 acetate PET was performed after successful revascularization for the infarct-related artery (IRA). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and oxidative metabolism (k_mono) were measured and compared between NIRA vs. IRA, stenotic (DS ≥ 50%) vs. non-stenotic (DS < 50%) NIRAs, and NIRAs with significant stenosis (DS ≥ 70% or fractional flow reserve [FFR] ≤ 0.80) vs. those without (neither DS ≥ 70% nor FFR ≤ 0.80). The correlations between PET and angiographic parameters were also analyzed. RESULTS: MBF and k_mono were significantly higher in NIRAs than those in IRAs. Stenotic NIRAs showed significantly reduced stress MBF, myocardial flow reserve (MFR), relative flow reserve (RFR) (0.72 ± 0.12 vs. 0.82 ± 0.14; p = 0.001), and stress k_mono, as compared to those in non-stenotic NIRAs. NIRAs with significant stenosis had significantly lower stress MBF, MFR, and RFR (0.70 ± 0.10 vs. 0.80 ± 0.14; p = 0.001). RFR showed the best, but modest linear correlation with DS of NIRA stenosis (r = -0.429, p = 0.001). RFR > 0.81 could effectively exclude the presence of significant NIRA stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: C-11 acetate PET could be a feasible alternative noninvasive modality in patients with STEMI and multivessel disease, by excluding the presence of significant NIRA stenosis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.486-491
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• 2004

Purpose: factor analysis and independent component analysis (ICA) has been used for handling dynamic image sequences. Theoretical advantages of a newly suggested ICA method, ensemble ICA, leaded us to consider applying this method to the analysis of dynamic myocardial $H_2^{15}O$ PET data. In this study, we quantified patients' blood flow using the ensemble ICA method. Materials and Methods: Twenty subjects underwent $H_2^{15}O$ PET scans using ECAT EXACT 47 scanner and myocardial perfusion SPECT using Vertex scanner. After transmission scanning, dynamic emission scans were initiated simultaneously with the injection of $555{\sim}740$ MBq $H_2^{15}O$. Hidden independent components can be extracted from the observed mixed data (PET image) by means of ICA algorithms. Ensemble learning is a variational Bayesian method that provides an analytical approximation to the parameter posterior using a tractable distribution. Variational approximation forms a lower bound on the ensemble likelihood and the maximization of the lower bound is achieved through minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the true posterior and the variational posterior. In this study, posterior pdf was approximated by a rectified Gaussian distribution to incorporate non-negativity constraint, which is suitable to dynamic images in nuclear medicine. Blood flow was measured in 9 regions - apex, four areas in mid wall, and four areas in base wall. Myocardial perfusion SPECT score and angiography results were compared with the regional blood flow. Results: Major cardiac components were separated successfully by the ensemble ICA method and blood flow could be estimated in 15 among 20 patients. Mean myocardial blood flow was $1.2{\pm}0.40$ ml/min/g in rest, $1.85{\pm}1.12$ ml/min/g in stress state. Blood flow values obtained by an operator in two different occasion were highly correlated (r=0.99). In myocardium component image, the image contrast between left ventricle and myocardium was 1:2.7 in average. Perfusion reserve was significantly different between the regions with and without stenosis detected by the coronary angiography (P<0.01). In 66 segment with stenosis confirmed by angiography, the segments with reversible perfusion decrease in perfusion SPECT showed lower perfusion reserve values in $H_2^{15}O$ PET. Conclusions: Myocardial blood flow could be estimated using an ICA method with ensemble learning. We suggest that the ensemble ICA incorporating non-negative constraint is a feasible method to handle dynamic image sequence obtained by the nuclear medicine techniques.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.621-630
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• 2019

Objective: To study the prevalence and clinical characteristics of decreased myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantified by dynamic computed tomography (CT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in symptomatic patients without in-stent restenosis. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven (mean age, 71.3 ± 10 years; age range, 48-88 years; 31 males, 6 females) consecutive symptomatic patients with patent coronary stents and without obstructive de novo lesions were prospectively enrolled to undergo dynamic CT-MPI using a third-generation dual-source CT scanner. The shuttle-mode acquisition technique was used to image the complete left ventricle. A bolus of contrast media (50 mL; iopromide, 370 mg iodine/mL) was injected into the antecubital vein at a rate of 6 mL/s, followed by a 40-mL saline flush. The mean MBF value and other quantitative parameters were measured for each segment of both stented-vessel territories and reference territories. The MBF_ratio was defined as the ratio of the mean MBF value of the whole stent-vessel territory to that of the whole reference territory. An MBF_ratio of 0.85 was used as the cut-off value to distinguish hypoperfused from non-hypoperfused segments. Results: A total of 629 segments of 37 patients were ultimately included for analysis. The mean effective dose of dynamic CT-MPI was 3.1 ± 1.2 mSv (range, 1.7-6.3 mSv). The mean MBF of stent-vessel territories was decreased in 19 lesions and 81 segments. Compared to stent-vessel territories without hypoperfusion, the mean MBF and myocardial blood volume were markedly lower in hypoperfused stent-vessel territories (77.5 ± 16.6 mL/100 mL/min vs. 140.4 ± 24.1 mL/100 mL/min [p < 0.001] and 6.4 ± 3.7 mL/100 mL vs. 11.5 ± 4 mL/100 mL [p < 0.001, respectively]). Myocardial hypoperfusion in stentvessel territories was present in 48.6% (18/37) of patients. None of clinical parameters differed statistically significantly between hypoperfusion and non-hypoperfusion subgroups. Conclusion: Decreased MBF is commonly present in patients who are symptomatic after percutaneous coronary intervention, despite patent stents and can be detected by dynamic CT-MPI using a low radiation dose.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.246-253
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• 1988

An in vitro model providing with a recirculating perfusion apparatus using an isolated canine heart and its autogenous blood, which was prepared for study of myocardial protection method. This apparatus was easily used by quick connect system and maintained well heart function for about 2 hours. The Langendorff perfusion was initiated for a 10 minute period by introducing perfusate at 37` into the aorta from aortic reservoir located 100 cm above the heart. The isolated perfused working canine heart model was a left heart preparation in which oxygenated perfusion medium [at 37K] entered the cannulated left atrium at a constant flow rate [900ml/ min] under 20 mmHg overflow system and was spontaneously ejected[no electrical pacing] via an cannula against a hydrostatic pressure of 80 cm H2O. During this working period, various indices of cardiac function were measured. The cardiac functions were stable for over 2 hours with perfusion of Krebs-Henseleit solution and autologous blood[1:1] mixture in volume and maintained heart rate ]]3-122/bpm peak systolic pressure 109-113 mmHg, cardiac output 900 ml / min and left atrial mean pressure 8-9 mmHg. In this model, the efficiency of myocardia] protection could be easily measured by means of functional, enzymatic, biochemical and ultrastructural assessment. And also, we believe this model to be a useful assessment screening model of recovery state after long duration of myocardial preservation of donor heart without difficult transplantation procedures.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.233-252
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• 2024

Background and Objectives: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) refers to the damage of cardiac function caused by restoration of blood flow perfusion in ischemic myocardium. However, long non-coding RNA prostate androgen regulated transcript 1 (PART1)'s role in MIRI remain unclear. Methods: Immunofluorescence detected LC3 expression. Intermolecular relationships were verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, flow cytometry and transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays analyzed cell viability and apoptosis. The release of lactate dehydrogenase was tested via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Left anterior descending coronary artery surgery induced a MIRI mouse model. Infarct area was detected by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Hematoxylin and eosin staining examined myocardial injury. ELISA evaluated myocardial marker (creatine kinase MB) level. Results: PART1 was decreased in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) induced AC16 cells and MIRI mice. PART1 upregulation attenuated the increased levels of Bax, beclin-1 and the ratio of LC3II/I, and enhanced the decrease of Bcl-2 and p62 expression in H/R-treated cells. PART1 upregulation alleviated H/R-triggered autophagy and apoptosis via miR-302a-3p. Mechanically, PART1 targeted miR-302a-3p to upregulate transcription factor activating enhancer-binding protein 2C (TFAP2C). TFAP2C silencing reversed the protected effects of miR-302a-3p inhibitor on H/R treated AC16 cells. We further established TFAP2C combined to dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) promoter and activated DUSP5. TFAP2C upregulation suppressed H/R-stimulated autophagy and apoptosis through upregulating DUSP5. Overexpressed PART1 reduced myocardial infarction area and attenuated MIRI in mice. Conclusion: PART1 improved the autophagy and apoptosis in H/R-exposed AC16 cells through miR-302a-3p/TFAP2C/DUSP5 axis, which might provide novel targets for MIRI treatment.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.174-178
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• 2009

Many radiopharmaceuticals have been developed and wildy used in the imaging cardiac function. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a well established noninvasive method of assessing coronary blood flow and has been widely used in patients diagnosed or suspected with coronary artery diseases. The innovation of radiopharmaceuticals used in the cardiac imaging is one of the most important contributors to the development of nuclear cardiology. Thallium-201 and various technetium-99m agents have been globally used for myocardial perfusion SPEG, and N-13 ammonia (13NH3), rubidium-82 (82Rb), 0-15 water (H2150) for myocardial perfusion PET. As well as the cardiac perfusion studies, new radiopharmaceuticals that visualize fat metabolism or receptors of the sympathetic nervous system have successfully been applied to clinical practice. Useful information can be obtained for diagnosing coronary artery disease, evaluating patients' condition, or assessing therapeutic effects. In this review, we describe the characteristics and clinical usefulness of radiopharmaceuticals used for cardiac SPEG and PET.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.258-262
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• 2001

In the advanced age, cardiovascular disease is more serious than any other disease. Especially, the thrombus causes the serious disease like apoplexia, carebri and myocardial infarction. Thrombosis is caused by the injury of endothelium and the alterations in normal blood flow. To investigate activities of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen butanol fraction for blood coagulation system, endotoxin (4000EU/kg) was injected (i..v) to rats at 1hr after administration of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen butanole fraction (500 mg/kg, p.o.). Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen butanol fraction was found to have antiplatelet activity in vitro. In vivo it showed a delay of blood clotting time, and prothrombin time, and reduction of fibrinogen and FDP It also increased SOD activity, and decreased MDA content. These results suggest that the antithrombosis effect of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen butanol frac tion results from suppressive activity for a blood coagulation system and antioxidative activity.