False-positive 201thallium study in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Abstract

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is known to cause abnormal rest electrocardiogram and stress tests. Consequently, the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) may be difficult in patients with WPW. Previous reports have described false positive stress 201thallium studies in WPW, but the absence of CAD has rarely been confirmed by coronary angiography. A case of false positive stress 201thallium scintigraphy confirmed by angiography is presented. Left ventricular contractile asynchrony can explain the defects observed in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. The importance of the defects relates to the length of the delta wave.