title: Role of (123)I-Iobenguane Myocardial Scintigraphy in Predicting Short-term Left Ventricular Functional Recovery: An Interesting Image.
abstract: (123)I-iobenguane myocardial scintigraphy (MIBG) has been shown to be a predictor of sudden cardiac mortality in patients with heart failure. One patient with recent anterior myocardial infarction (MI) treated with coronary angioplasty and having left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% underwent early MIBG myocardial scintigraphy/tetrofosmin single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in order to help evaluate his eligibility for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The late heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio was calculated to be 1.32% and the washout rate was 1%. At 40-day follow-up after angioplasty, LVEF proved to be 32%, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class was still II-III, and an ICD was placed in order to reduce mortality from ventricular arrhythmias. MIBG myocardial scintigraphy might be a promising method for evaluating left ventricular recovery in post-MI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation-Heart Failure Unit, Ospedale SS Trinità, Fossano, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feola
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine Service, Ospedale S Croce-Carle, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chauvie
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine Service, Ospedale S Croce-Carle, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation-Heart Failure Unit, Ospedale SS Trinità, Fossano, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Testa
keywords: Congestive heart failure; MIBG myocardial scintigraphy; implantable cardioverter defibrillator