Work

Scintigraphy for transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis diagnosis in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland from 2021 to 2024. A survey report

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: PURPOSE: Bone scintigraphy using technetium-99 m-labelled phosphonates is increasingly applied for imaging of cardiac transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. However, there is limited data on how frequently this technique is used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To address this issue, we added questions about the number of patients referred for nuclear medicine scanning for suspected cardiac amyloidosis and the proportion of positive results (Perugini score of 2 or 3) to the 2024 survey on myocardial perfusion imaging conducted jointly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. RESULTS: The number of participating institutions in Austria, Germany and Switzerland was 12, 170 and 16, respectively. The number of patients scanned for cardiac amyloidosis was 1487, 4029 and 824 with a positivity-rate of 41%, 37% and 49%. CONCLUSION: The survey data reveal an increasing diagnostic effort for cardiac amyloidosis from 2021 to 2024, with a similar trend observed in all three countries. The average positivity rate in 2024 was almost 40% vs. about 33% in 2021. The results from 2021 to 2024 across all participants demonstrate improved pre-selection by the referring physicians but also increased awareness and improved training among nuclear medicine physicians.

Source: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

DOI: 10.1007/s00259-025-07601-8

Authors: Oliver Lindner, J. Bucerius, B. Burchert, T. Derlin, R. R. Buechel

Institutions: Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Medical University of Graz, University Hospital Zurich

Language: English

Topic: Amyloidosis: Diagnosis, Treatment, Outcomes

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,490