Value of Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT imaging in patients with TIA or acute stroke and normal CT

To determine the value of Tc-99m HMPAO single photon emission CT (SPECT) imaging, 51 patients with transient, acute, or chronic cerebrovascular disease were studied. Seventeen patients presented with recent transient ischemic attack (TIA) or acute stroke and underwent SPECT imaging and CT within 72 hours of presentation. SPECT image interpretation was independent of clinical history and CT findings. Four patients with acute stroke and eight patients with TIA had normal CT findings. All patients with acute stroke (three nonlacunar, one lacunar infarct) and three of eight patients with TIA also showed perfusion abnormalities on Tc-99m HMPAO scans. Thus, Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT may be useful in the early diagnosis and subtype determination of acute stroke and in the evaluation of TIA