Meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy of the heart
Villadsen, H.D.; Abrahamsen, J.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 159(45): 6671-6675
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 9411981 Document Number: 479634
Iodine-123 labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a noradrenaline analogue. The tracer is thought to follow the same mechanisms of uptake into cardiac sympathetic nerve endings as noradrenaline. MIBG-scintigraphy can thus be used to noninvasively image the cardiac sympathetic nervous innervation. The uptake and distribution of MIBG in the heart are changed in various cardiac diseases, and MIBG-scintigraphy has become a new research tool especially for the evaluation of patients with myocardial infarction and ischaemia, congestive heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias. This review article focuses on the cardiac diseases where MIBG-scintigraphy has contributed to a better understanding of the pathophysiology and improved clinical evaluation of the patients.