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Effect of regional myocardial ischemia on sympathetic nervous system as assessed by fluorine-18-metaraminol

Journal Article · · Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (USA)
OSTI ID:6620365
With the introduction of radiolabeled catecholamine analogues, the noninvasive evaluation of the cardiac sympathetic nervous system has become possible. This study evaluated the effect of regional ischemia on myocardial retention of the new norepinephrine analogue 6-({sup 18}F) fluorometaraminol (FMR) in the open chest dog model. Six dogs were injected intravenously with FMR following 30-min occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. Six sham animals served as control group. Regional myocardial blood flow as determined by microspheres decreased 87% during ischemia (p less than 0.01), but was not significantly different from control myocardium following reperfusion. Regional myocardial 18F activity as determined postmortem was significantly reduced in reperfused myocardium (-34%), which paralleled an 18% reduction of tissue norepinephrine concentration. Thus, short time periods of coronary occlusion affect neuronal function indicating the sensitivity of the sympathetic nerve terminals to ischemia. FMR provides a new tracer approach for the characterization of neuronal integrity in postischemic myocardium.
OSTI ID:
6620365
Journal Information:
Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (USA) Vol. 31:8; ISSN 0161-5505; ISSN JNMEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English