NYMC Faculty Publications

Assessment of 123I-mIBG and 99mTc-tetrofosmin Single-photon Emission Computed Tomographic Images for the Prediction of Arrhythmic Events in Patients With Ischemic Heart Failure: Intermediate Severity Innervation Defects Are Associated With Higher Arrhythmic Risk

Journal Title

Journal of Nuclear Cardiology

First Page

377

Last Page

391

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

April 2017

Department

Medicine

Abstract

RATIONALE: 123I-mIBG planar image heart-to-mediastinum ratios effectively risk-stratify heart failure (HF) patients. The value of single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) imaging for identifying increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias is less clear. This study sought to determine if findings from simultaneous interpretation of 123I-mIBG and 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT are predictive of arrhythmic events (ArEs). METHODS: 123I-mIBG SPECT images from 622 patients with ischemic HF were presented in standard displays alongside 99mTc-tetrofosmin images. Consensus interpretations using a 17-segment model produced summed scores. Cox proportional hazards analyses related findings to adjudicated ArEs over 2 years. RESULTS: 471 patients had images adequate for total 17-segment scoring. There were 48 ArEs (10.2%). Neither 123I-mIBG nor 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT summed scores were univariate predictors. On multivariate proportional hazards analysis, the 123I-mIBG SPECT score was independently predictive of ArEs (HR: 0.975, 95% CI 0.951-0.999, P = 0.042), but HR <1 indicated that risk decreased with increasing score. This occurred because patients with intermediately abnormal SPECT studies had a higher likelihood of ArEs compared to patients with extensive abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: The presumption of a monotonic increase in ArE risk with increasing summed 123I-mIBG SPECT score may not be correct as ischemic HF patients with abnormalities of intermediate extent appear at highest risk.

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