False positive technetium-99m pyrophosphate scintigraphy in a patient with cardiac amyloidosis light chain: Case report.

INTRODUCTION

Patients with cardiac amyloidosis light chain (AL) present with negative Tc-99m pyrophosphate (PYP) scintigraphy (absent or mild heart uptake). On the contrary, patients with cardiac amyloidosis transthyretin (ATTR) present with positive Tc-99m PYP scanning (intensive heart uptake). We present a false positive Tc-99m PYP scintigraphy (grade 2, the heart-to-contralateral ratio is 1.65) in a patient with AL.

PATIENT CONCERNS: A 42-year-old Chinese man complained of effort intolerance, chest discomfort, and short of breath progressively over 1 year. New York Heart Association Class III. Physical examination showed legs swelling. Laboratory revealed elevated brain natriuretic peptide of 23,031 ng/mL (0-88) and Troponin-T of 273.4 ng/mL (0-14).

DIAGNOSIS: Cardiac amyloidosis light chain. Evidences: free light chains (FLCs): decreased serum free kappa/lambda ratio of 0.043 (0.31-1.56). Immunofixation electrophoresis: a positive lambda light chain monoclonal protein. Cardiac biopsy: HE: Ambiguity Congo red strain. Myocardial immunofluorescence: positive lambda light chain. Myocardial immunohistochemistry: positive lambda light chain, negative kappa light chain, and TTR.

INTERVENTIONS: Furosemide 40 mg qd, torasemide 20 mg qd, spirolactone 20 mg qd, potassium chloride 10 mL per 500 mL urine, atorvastatin calcium tablet 20 mg qd, aspirin enteric-coated tablets 100 mg qd during the 2-weeks in-hospital.

OUTCOMES: The patient died 2 months later after discharge.

CONCLUSION

False positive Tc-99m PYP scintigraphy may rarely presented in patients with cardiac amyloidosis light chain. So, the clonal plasma cell process based on the FLCs and immunofixation is a base to rule out AL cardiac amyloidosis when we interpret a positive Tc-99m PYP scintigraphy.