title: Short cardiac iodine-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging protocol in heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For assessment of cardiac sympathetic nervous activity, the conventional protocol for iodine-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-MIBG) imaging requires several hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To establish whether it is possible to shorten the conventional (123)I-MIBG imaging protocol, anterior planar imaging was performed in 42 heart failure (HF) patients at 5, 15 and 180 min. The washout rate of (123)I-MIBG from 5 to 15 min (WR5-15 min) was calculated as a novel index. WR5-15 min closely correlated with the conventional washout rate and inversely correlated with the heart to mediastinum ratio. Univariate Cox analysis revealed that rapid WR5-15 min, augmented plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level, and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were predictors for cardiac events. Multivariate analysis showed WR5-15 min and LVEF were independent predictors. The cardiac event rate was markedly higher (73%) in patients when both WR5-15 min and LVEF were abnormal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WR5-15 min obtained from anterior planar imaging is useful for evaluating the severity of HF and clinical outcome, and may shorten the cardiac (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy protocol.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Ishinomaki Red Cross Hospital, Ishinomaki, Japan. takanoriarimoto@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arimoto
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sukekawa
authors.forename: Mutsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ikeno
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nisugi
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeishi
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kubota
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine