STUDY: Impaired myocardial SPECT imaging secondary to silicon- and saline-containing breast implants

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STUDY: Impaired myocardial SPECT imaging secondary to

silicon- and saline-containing breast implants.

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2006 Mar 15; [Epub ahead of

print] Links

Impaired myocardial SPECT imaging secondary to

silicon- and saline-containing breast implants.

Stinis CT, Lizotte PE, Movahed MR.

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology,

University of California, Irvine Medical Center,

Orange, CA, USA.

Early detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) in

women has been challenging. Women are more likely to

present with atypical symptoms, and non-invasive

evaluation for CAD has been less accurate. Myocardial

SPECT imaging is a well-established technique that

provides important physiologic, anatomic, and

prognostic information in women.

Attenuation artifacts secondary to breast tissue are

a common problem in women and can lead to decreased

specificity of gated SPECT imaging. Cosmetic breast

implants are increasing in popularity. The presence of

a foreign object overlying the anterior wall of the

heart in addition to native breast tissue can

significantly increase attenuation artifacts.

There is only one report to date describing

attenuation artifact due to silicon breast implants in

comparison to control, and there are no reports

regarding saline breast implants. Here we report three

cases of impaired myocardial SPECT imaging in women

with breast implants: one patient with silicone

implants, and two with saline-containing implants.

Clinicians should be aware of this problem and women

should be educated regarding the potential future

diagnostic problems that may occur with breast

implants before considering this cosmetic surgery.