Renal sympathetic nerve activity after catheter-based renal denervation.

Background: Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been considered a potential treatment for therapy resistant hypertension (RHT). However, in a randomized placebo-controlled trial, RDN did not lead to a substantial blood pressure (BP) reduction. We hypothesized that variation in the reported RDN efficacy might be explained by incomplete nerve disruption as assessed by renal I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (I-mIBG) scintigraphy.

The use of perfusion scintigraphy to differentiate proximal right coronary artery stenosis from distal right coronary artery stenosis in patients with inferior left ventricular ischaemia.

Objective: The identification of patients with a significant proximal right coronary artery (RCA) is of clinical relevance since it may direct diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This study was performed to determine parameters of (201)Tl RV perfusion SPECT which can be used to discriminate between proximal and distal RCA stenosis in patients with inferior left ventricular (LV) ischaemia. In addition, feasibility and reproducibility of a new semi-quantitative method for the assessment of RV perfusion were evaluated.