Abstract
Cerebral atrophy often coexists with other brain disorders and by itself may alter the pattern of cerebral perfusion. If unrecognized, it may confound diagnoses based on brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET). In this retrospective study, we describe and evaluate criteria for the diagnosis of cerebral atrophy on technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain SPET studies. The SPET scans of 11 patients with cerebral atrophy and ten controls were evaluated for the presence of a prominent interhemispheric fissure, presence of prominent cerebral sulci, separation of thalamic nuclei, and pronounced separation of caudate nuclei. The SPET studies were interpreted by two independent observers blind to the findings of magnetic resonance imaging, which provided the final diagnosis of cerebral atrophy. The combination of the four scintigraphic signs was accurate in the diagnosis of cerebral atrophy in 95% of the cases and had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 100%.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Holman LB, Devous MD. Functional brain Spect: the emergence of a powerful clinical method. J Nucl Med 1992;33: 1888–1904.
Roine RO, Launes J, Nikkinen P, et al. Regional cerebral blood flow after human cardiac arrest. Arch Neurol 1991;48: 625–629.
Limburg M, van Royen EA, Hijdra A, et al. RCBF-SPECT in brain infarction: when does it predict outcome? J Nucl Med 1991;32:382–387.
Mountz JM, Modell JG, Foster NL, et al. Prognostication of recovery following stroke using the comparison of CT and Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT. J Nucl Med 1990;31:61–66.
Gray BG, Ichise M, Chung D, et al. Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT in the evaluation of patients with a remote history of traumatic head injury: a comparison with computerized tomography. J Nucl Med 1992;33:52–58.
Reid SH, Gulenchyn KY, Ballinger JR, et al. Cerebral perfusion imaging with Tc-99m HMPAO following cerebral trauma: initial experience. Clin Nucl Med 1990;15:383–388.
Hussein MZN, Abdel-Dayem HM, Sadek SA, et al. Changes in cerebral perfusion after acute head injury: comparison of CT with Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. Radiology 1987;165: 221–226.
Holman BL, Johnson KA, Gerada B, et al. The scintigraphic appearance of Alzheimer's disease: a prospective study using Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. J Nucl Med 1992;33:181–185.
Matsuda H, Higashi S, Tsuji S, et al. High resolution Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT in a patient with transient global amnesia. Clin Nucl Med 1993;18:46–49.
Wong CY, Meyerrose GE, Ashraf R, et al. A correlation between left temporal defects and memory loss: initial results of functional brain imaging using segmental analysis of brain SPECT [abstract]. Eur J Nucl Med 1993;20:865.
Costa DC, Ell PJ. Brain blood flow in neurology and psychiatry. In: Ell PJ, series ed. Clinician's guide to nuclear medicine. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1991.
Costa DC, Morgan GF, Lassen NA. New trends in nuclear neurology and psychiatry. London: John Libbey, 1993.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to: S. Sostre
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wong, Cy.O., Meyerrose, G.E. & Sostre, S. Signs of cerebral atrophy on single-photon emission tomography. Eur J Nucl Med 21, 445–448 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171421
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171421