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What Is Halo Effect On Muga Scan Suggesting Possible Pericardial Effusion?

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Posted on Tue, 31 Jul 2018
Question: What is halo effect on muga suggesting possible pericardial effusion?
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Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (56 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!

Regarding your concern, I would explain that the a photopenic “U-halo” around the cardiac blood pool in the left anterior oblique view of Muga scan is commonly seen with pericardial effusion.

But, from the other hand there are many false-positive Halo effects related to breast attenuation in cancer patients. Patients with large breasts may show a photopenic U-halo in the left anterior oblique view dependent on how far the breast sags in reference to the heart silhouette and on the positioning of the oblique tilt.

For this reason, specific techniques of Muga scan should be used to distinguish the false positive U halo effect related to the breasts from the real pericardial effusion.

Anyway, you should know that the main purpose of Muga scan is to evaluate the heart ejection fraction in patient treated with chemotherapy. A cardiac ultrasound would be a more specific test for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion.

You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.

Hope to have been helpful to you!

Kind regards,

Dr. Iliri
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Ilir Sharka

Cardiologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 9545 Questions

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What Is Halo Effect On Muga Scan Suggesting Possible Pericardial Effusion?

Brief Answer: I would explain as follows: Detailed Answer: Hello! Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM! Regarding your concern, I would explain that the a photopenic “U-halo” around the cardiac blood pool in the left anterior oblique view of Muga scan is commonly seen with pericardial effusion. But, from the other hand there are many false-positive Halo effects related to breast attenuation in cancer patients. Patients with large breasts may show a photopenic U-halo in the left anterior oblique view dependent on how far the breast sags in reference to the heart silhouette and on the positioning of the oblique tilt. For this reason, specific techniques of Muga scan should be used to distinguish the false positive U halo effect related to the breasts from the real pericardial effusion. Anyway, you should know that the main purpose of Muga scan is to evaluate the heart ejection fraction in patient treated with chemotherapy. A cardiac ultrasound would be a more specific test for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion. You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues. Hope to have been helpful to you! Kind regards, Dr. Iliri