Clinical diagnosis and brain imaging in nuclear medicine

Fifty-five patients of cerebral occlusive diseases were studied using IMP and single photon emission tomograph (HEADTOME-II). Early imaging was begun after intravenous injection of IMP and delayed imaging was performed 3 hours more later. We classified the change of IMP distribution into 4 types, type 1: no uptake of the lesion in both early and delayed images, type 2: low IMP uptake of the lesion in early images but recognized redistribution of IMP is delayed images, type 3: high IMP uptake of the lesion in both early and delayed images, type 4: high IMP uptake of the lesion in early images but it decreased more rapidly in delayed images. In cases of type 3 and 4 recanalization of the occlusive arteries was found by cerebral angiography. The difference of IMP distribution has relation to the time of recanalization and the amount of collateral circulation at the lesion. Clinical prognosis shows a tendency to be better in cases of type 2 and 4 than type 1 and 3. IMP brain scans with SPECT seems useful for estimating the prognosis of patients. (author)