A new method of diagnosing myocardial contusion in man by radionuclide imaging.

A new method of diagnosing myocardial contusion was studied in 8 patients in whom the injured mycardium was visualized as an abnormal area of increased activity in the region of the heart one hour after intravenous injection of 10 mCi of 99m-Tc-Sn-polyphosphate or pyrophosphate. Serum enzymes in these patients were elevated, but electrocardiograms were nonspecific for myocardial injury. It is hoped that this new technique of imaging the injured myocardium will provide specific and confirmatory diagnosis of myocardial contusion associated with closed chest injuries.