Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39452277›Full record

ReviewJournal of cardiovascular development and disease2024

The Role of Nuclear Medicine in the Diagnostic Work-Up of Athletes: An Essential Guide for the Sports Cardiologist.

Alessandro Zorzi, Sergei Bondarev, Francesca Graziano, Annagrazia Cecere, Andrea Giordani, Luka Turk, Domenico Corrado, Pietro Zucchetta, Diego Cecchin

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of cardiovascular development and disease, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Alessandro ZorziDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3578-0583
Sergei BondarevDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3912-4003
Francesca GrazianoDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0174-846X
Annagrazia CecereDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5587-1215
Andrea GiordaniDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
Luka TurkUnit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Università University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padua, Italy.
Domenico CorradoDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
Pietro ZucchettaUnit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Università University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padua, Italy.
Diego CecchinUnit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Università University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padua, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7956-1924

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Athletes with heart disease are at increased risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death compared to their sedentary counterparts. When athletes have symptoms or abnormal findings at preparticipation screenings, a precise diagnosis by differentiating physiological features of the athlete's heart from pathological signs of cardiac disease is as important as it is challenging. While traditional imaging methods such as echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and computed tomography are commonly employed, nuclear medicine offers unique advantages, especially in scenarios requiring stress-based functional evaluation. This article reviews the use of nuclear medicine techniques in the diagnostic work-up of athletes with suspected cardiac diseases by highlighting their ability to investigate myocardial perfusion, metabolism, and innervation. The article discusses the application of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) using radiotracers such as [99mTc]MIBI, [99mTc]HDP, [18F]FDG, and [123I]MIBG. Several clinical scenarios are explored, including athletes with coronary atherosclerosis, congenital coronary anomalies, ventricular arrhythmias, and non-ischemic myocardial scars. Radiation concerns are addressed, highlighting that modern SPECT and PET equipment significantly reduces radiation doses, making these techniques safer for young athletes. We conclude that, despite being underutilized, nuclear medicine provides unique opportunities for accurate diagnosis and effective management of cardiac diseases in athletes.

Indexed as

arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathycongenital coronary anomaliescoronary artery diseasemyocardial bridgingsports cardiologysudden cardiac deathventricular arrhythmias

Identifiers

PMID39452277
PMCPMC11508806

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.