Role of nuclear cardiology for guiding device therapy in patients with heart failure

Figure 1 Metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging protocol including planar and single-photon emission computed tomography images obtained 15 to 30 min (early) and 3 to 4 h (late) after intravenous injection of 111 to 370 MBq of ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine. MIBG: Metaiodobenzylguanidine.

Figure 2 Planar metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging with calculation of heart to mediastinum ratio and washout rate after drawing regions of interest over the heart (solid line) and mediastinum (dotted line). H/M: Heart-to-mediastinum; WR: Washout rate. ¹Decay corrected.

Figure 3 Single-photon emission computed tomography metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging with construction of myocardial polar maps and assessment of innervation defect extent and severity. SPECT: Single-photon emission computed tomography.

Figure 4 Early and late planar metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging. A: Control subject; B: Patient with moderate heart failure; C: Patient with severe heart failure. H/M: Heart-to-mediastinum; WR: Washout rate.