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Cardiac resynchronization therapy and the role of nuclear cardiology

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Abstract

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an accepted treatment modality in patients with endstage heart failure despite optimal pharmacologic therapy. Although considerable benefit of CRT has been demonstrated in large clinical trials, a substantial cohort of patients failed to respond to CRT. Accordingly, studies have focused on potential predictors for CRT response, and the relative merits of left ventricular dyssynchrony, viability, and scar tissue for CRT response have been demonstrated. Nuclear cardiology techniques can provide this information, particularly gated myocardial perfusion single photon emission CT with phase analysis, and this technique can be used to improve selection of CRT candidates. Also, nuclear imaging can be used to evaluate effects of CRT (changes in blood flow, oxidative metabolism, glucose utilization, and sympathetic innervation). The use of nuclear imaging in selection of CRT patients, and evaluation of CRT effects, are reviewed here.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Jeroen J. Bax

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  1. Mark M. Boogers
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  2. Ji Chen
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  3. Jeroen J. Bax
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Correspondence to Jeroen J. Bax.

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Boogers, M.M., Chen, J. & Bax, J.J. Cardiac resynchronization therapy and the role of nuclear cardiology. curr cardiovasc imaging rep 2, 197–204 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-009-0024-7

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