Effect of Vitamin D3 on Imaging of Experimental Myocardial Infarcts with Technetium-99m Pyrophosphate: Further Studies of the Role of Calcium

The authors previously found that a pulse dose of vitamin D/sub 3/ increased /sup 99m/Tc)PPi uptake by rat myocardial necrosis. Vitamin D/sub 3/ raised serum and lesion (Ca) but not, they now report, lesion (Fe). D/sub 3/ increased /sup 99m/Tc)PPi uptake by myocardial infarcts (L) in dogs. Vitamin D/sub 3/ decreased uptake by dog bone (B) as measured in rib and sternum. Scintigrams graded by a blinded observer, showed 4+, 4+, and 3+ infarcts, respectively, in three D/sub 3/-treated dogs, and 2+, 2+, and 1+, respectively, in three untreated. One untreated and one treated dog were negative; the latter showed the least response to D/sub 3/ in serum (Ca) and /sup 99m/Tc) in tissue samples. Vitamin D/sub 3/ can increase L/B in dogs, enhancing scintigraphic images.