Key result
Imaging cardiac sympathetic innervation with PET and SPECT shows potential for risk stratification in heart failure and ICD therapy, but widespread clinical adoption requires standardization of image acquisition and data analysis.
Why the study?
Despite existing guidelines, widespread compliance with standardization efforts for acquisition and data analysis in cardiac sympathetic innervation imaging has not yet been achieved.
Standardization of image acquisition and analysis is crucial for incorporating cardiac sympathetic innervation imaging with PET and SPECT into clinical guidelines for heart failure risk stratification.
In the rapidly evolving field of nuclear medicine, imaging cardiac sympathetic innervation using both conventional nuclear medicine and PET tracers is a small but growing field of interest. Recent larger clinical trials have underlined the importance of imaging cardiac sympathetic innervation as well as the consequences of low regional tracer accumulation for patient outcomes. New developments have resulted in the introduction of novel PET tracers with high clinical potential, especially for imaging centers without an on-site cyclotron. Despite the generated guidelines, especially on MIBG scintigraphy, widespread compliance with standardization efforts for cardiac sympathetic innervation imaging has not been yet achieved. Compliance with standardization of imaging acquisition and data analysis is crucial to move forward towards refinement of clinical guidelines.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Noordzij et al. (2019) conducted a review in Cardiac sympathetic innervation abnormalities (e.g., heart failure, ischemic cardiomyopathy). PET and SPECT imaging (123I-MIBG, 11C-mHED) was evaluated. Imaging cardiac sympathetic innervation with PET and SPECT shows potential for risk stratification in heart failure and ICD therapy, but widespread clinical adoption requires standardization of image acquisition and data analysis.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: