Applications of cerebral SPECT

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can provide three-dimensional functional images of the brain following the injection of one of a series of radiopharmaceuticals that crosses the blood–brain barrier and distributes according to cerebral perfusion, neurotransmitter, or cell density....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical radiology 2011-07, Vol.66 (7), p.651-661
Main Authors: McArthur, C, Jampana, R, Patterson, J, Hadley, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blood-Brain Barrier - diagnostic imaging
Brain - diagnostic imaging
Humans
Mental Disorders - diagnostic imaging
Radiology
Radiopharmaceuticals
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - methods
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Summary:Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can provide three-dimensional functional images of the brain following the injection of one of a series of radiopharmaceuticals that crosses the blood–brain barrier and distributes according to cerebral perfusion, neurotransmitter, or cell density. Applications include differentiating between the dementias, evaluating cerebrovascular disease, preoperative localization of epileptogenic foci, diagnosing movement disorders, and evaluation of intracerebral tumours, while also proving a useful research tool. Unlike positronemission tomography (PET), SPECT imaging is widely available and can be performed in any department that has access to a rotating gamma camera. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the utility of cerebral SPECT and increase awareness of its role in the investigation of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
ISSN:0009-9260
1365-229X
DOI:10.1016/j.crad.2010.12.015