[The results of questionnaire on quantitative assessment of 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine myocardial scintigraphy in heart failure].

This study was done by working group under the cooperation between Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine and Japanese Circulation Society. We evaluated the usefulness of quantitative assessment of 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy in heart failure by the results of questionnaire. Forty-nine (72.1%) of 68 selected institutions participated in this study. The incidence of MIBG myocardial scintigraphy used in heart failure was 41.1%. The imaging protocol was mostly done by both planar and SPECT at 15 min and 3.6 hr after intravenous injection of 111 MBq of MIBG. The quantitative assessment was mostly done by heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio and washout rate analysis based on planar imaging. The mean normal value of H/M ratio were 2.34 +/- 0.36, and 2.49 +/- 0.40, at early and delayed images, respectively. The normal value of washout rate was 27.74 +/- 5.34%. On the other hand, those of H/M ratio in heart failure were 1.87 +/- 0.27, and 1.75 +/- 0.24, at early and delayed images, respectively. That of washout rate was 42.30 +/- 6.75%. These parameters were very useful for the evaluation of heart failure. In conclusion, MIBG myocardial scintigraphy was widely used for not only early detection and severity assessment, but also indication for therapy and prognosis evaluation in heart failure patients.