Key result
Diagnosing ATTR-CM by cardiac scintigraphy requires concurrent monoclonal protein testing to avoid fatal misdiagnoses.
Technetium-labeled cardiac scintigraphy is a valuable non-invasive diagnostic tool for ATTR-CM, but must be used in the appropriate clinical context alongside blood and urine testing to rule out light chain amyloidosis and avoid misdiagnosis.
Technetium-labeled cardiac scintigraphy (i.e., Tc-PYP scan) has been repurposed for the diagnosis of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Validated in cohorts of patients with heart failure and echocardiographic and/or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings suggestive of cardiac amyloidosis, cardiac scintigraphy can confirm the diagnosis of ATTR-CM only when combined with blood and urine testing to exclude a monoclonal protein. Multisocietal guidelines support the nonbiopsy diagnosis of ATTR-CM using cardiac scintigraphy, yet emphasize its use in the appropriate clinical context and the crucial need to rule out light chain amyloid cardiomyopathy. Although increased awareness of ATTR-CM and the advent of effective therapy have led to rapid adoption of diagnostic scintigraphy, there is heterogeneity in adherence to consensus guidelines. This perspective outlines clinical scenarios wherein findings on technetium-labeled cardiac scintigraphy have been misinterpreted, reviews causes of false-negative and false-positive results, and provides strategies to avoid costly and potentially fatal misdiagnoses.
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Hanna et al. (2020) conducted a review in Suspected Amyloidosis (ATTR-CM). Technetium-labeled cardiac scintigraphy (Tc-PYP scan) was evaluated. Technetium-labeled cardiac scintigraphy for diagnosing ATTR-CM requires concurrent blood and urine testing to exclude monoclonal protein and avoid costly or fatal misdiagnoses.
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