title: Cardiac 123I-MIBG scintigraphy and arrhythmic risk in left ventricular noncompaction.
abstract: Left ventricular noncompaction is an unusual but increasingly recognized cardiomyopathy, the etiology of which is still not definitely established. Clinical presentation includes a wide spectrum of scenarios, including heart failure, thromboembolism and malignant arrhythmias, with half of deaths occurring suddenly. Early detection of LVNC is therefore essential to prevent sudden cardiac death. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of cardiac sympathetic nervous dysfunction, assessed by 123iodine-metaiodobenzylguanidine myocardial scintigraphy, in a patient with LVNC, preserved left ventricular systolic function and exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. This finding may be related to the increased arrhythmic risk observed in this cardiomyopathy, giving a new insight into the pathophysiology of LVNC.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Hospital de São João, Porto, Portugal. silviamartaoliveira@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sílvia Marta
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Elisabete
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gavina
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva-Cardoso
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria Júlia
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maciel
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D056830:Isolated Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine