Xenon-133 rCBF SPECT by newly designed bolus inhalation method

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 133Xe gas inhalation method enables measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) quantitatively. But this method is inferior to the method with 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime(HMPAO) or 123I-iodoamphetamine(IMP) in the quality of images. Efficient administration of 133Xe gas more than usual is supposed to improve quality of SPECT images. In this study we designed bolus inhalation method, a new method to efficiently administrate 133Xe gas of usual dose (1,850 MBq), and examined its fundamental aspects and clinical feasibility. The method was initiated by bolus administration of 133Xe gas synchronously in inspiration phase via a small tube connected to a mouthpiece and was followed by steady breathing of the gas in a closed circuit with a spiro-bag. Introduction of this method provided almost twofold increase in count ratio at the head in comparison with a conventional inhalation method. Consequently, considerable improvement in the quality of rCBF images was achieved by optimization of a reconstruction filter of SPECT. (author)