Advertisement
Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI115185
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Schwaiger, M. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Hutchins, G. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Kalff, V. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Rosenspire, K. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Haka, M. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Mallette, S. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Deeb, G. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Abrams, G. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0028.
Find articles by Wieland, D. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Published May 1, 1991 - More info
Positron emission tomography in combination with the newly introduced catecholamine analogue [11C]hydroxyephedrine ([11C]HED) enables the noninvasive delineation of sympathetic nerve terminals of the heart. To address the ongoing controversy over possible reinnervation of the human transplant, 5 healthy control subjects and 11 patients were studied after cardiac transplant by this imaging approach. Regional [11C]HED retention was compared to regional blood flow as assessed by rubidium-82. Transplant patients were divided into two groups. Group I had recent (less than 1 yr, 4.4 +/- 2.3 mo) surgery, while group II patients underwent cardiac transplantation more than 2 yr before imaging (3.5 +/- 1.3 yr). [11C]HED retention paralleled blood flow in normals, but was homogeneously reduced in group I. In contrast, group II patients revealed heterogeneous [11C]HED retention, with increased uptake in the proximal anterior and septal wall. Quantitative evaluation of [11C]HED retention revealed a 70% reduction in group I and 59% reduction in group II patients (P less than 0.001). In group II patients, [11C]HED retention reached 60% of normal in the proximal anterior wall. These data suggest the presence of neuronal tissue in the transplanted human heart, which may reflect regional sympathetic reinnervation.
Images.