title: Clinical usefulness of myocardial innervation imaging using Iodine-123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy in evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in patients with heart failure: an overview.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to review published data regarding the clinical usefulness of iodine-123-meta-iodobenzyl-guanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy in evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in patients with heart failure (HF).
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive computer literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases was conducted to find relevant published articles about the clinical usefulness of MIBG scintigraphy in evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in patients with HF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three studies, comprising a total sample size of 1124 patients with HF, were included in this review. Main findings of the included studies are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Myocardial innervation imaging using MIBG scintigraphy can be successfully used to assess changes in cardiac sympathetic neuronal function caused by several pharmacological interventions in patients with HF.
authors: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. giorgiomednuc@libero.it
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Treglia
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Stefanelli
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Bruno
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Giordano
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine