title: Introduction to cardiac neuronal imaging: a clinical perspective.
abstract: Procedures for noninvasive and minimally invasive imaging of cardiac neurons and neuronal function using radiolabeled compounds were developed in the second half of the 20th century. The foundation for these procedures was several centuries of research that identified the structural components of the autonomic nervous system and explored the means by which neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and norepinephrine contributed to neuronal control of target organ effector cells. This article provides a brief clinical overview of modern approaches to the assessment of cardiac neurons as an introduction to the in-depth articles on the current status of cardiac neuronal imaging presented in this supplement.
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Arnold F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York narula@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Jagat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Narula
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004285:Dogs; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: PET; SPECT; autonomic nervous system; cardiac neuronal imaging