[Meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy of the heart]

Iodine-123 labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a noradrenaline analogue. The tracer is thought to follow the same mechanisms of uptake into cardiac sympathetic nerve endings as noradrenaline. MIBG-scintigraphy can thus be used to noninvasively image the cardiac sympathetic nervous innervation. The uptake and distribution of MIBG in the heart are changed in various cardiac diseases, and MIBG-scintigraphy has become a new research tool especially for the evaluation of patients with myocardial infarction and ischaemia, congestive heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias. This review article focuses on the cardiac diseases where MIBG-scintigraphy has contributed to a better understanding of the pathophysiology and improved clinical evaluation of the patients.