Noninvasive documentation of Prinzmetal's angina

A 57 year old woman with substernal nonexertional chest pain and angiographically patent coronary arteries was evaluated with two dimensional echocardiography and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy after provocation of pain with methacholine. Simultaneous with the development of angina pectoris, the electrocardiogram demonstrated S-T segment elevation in leads II, III and aVF, followed by atrioventricular block. The echocardiogram revealed akinesia of the previously normally contracting left ventricular posterior wall during pain followed by hyperkinesia after the administration of nitroglycerin. Perfusion imaging suggested reversible inferior wall hypoperfusion. Thus, these studies provided noninvasive documentation of segmental left ventricular dysfunction and hypoperfusion during variant angina.