Study of Cardiac PET/CT Imaging to Guide Ablation Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia

Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography for Detection of Cardiac Sympathetic Dysinnervation to Guide Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia

Imaging is to be performed prior to procedure using positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT), after a special dye is injected. The scans are going to be merged with other cardiac scans when doing the ablation procedure to correlate anatomy with physiology.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical indication for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation (at least one clinical episode of sustained VT) despite antiarrhythmic drug therapy, or if the patient does not wish to be on one
• Ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy
• Sustained monomorphic VT

Exclusion Criteria:

• Right ventricular VT
• Polymorphic VT or ventricular fibrillation (VF) being the sole detected clinical arrhythmia
• Patient is unable to sign informed consent
• Recent myocardial infarction less than 30 days
• Recent ablation for ventricular tachycardia less than 30 days
• Patient is unwilling or unable to cooperate with the study
• Prosthetic mitral or aortic valve
• General contraindications to VT ablation, e.g., major contraindication to anticoagulation therapy, known presence of left ventricular thrombus, reversible causes of VT or VF
• General contraindications to PET imaging, e.g., pregnancy or lactation
• General contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging or to the administration of gadolinium.
• Contraindication to the placement of hemodynamic support devices, i.e. the presence of mechanical valves or lack of adequate vascular access