THE ROLE OF TC-99(M)-HMPAO BRAIN SPET IN PEDIATRIC TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Twenty-eight paediatric patients suffering from chronic sequelae of tr aumatic brain injury (TBI) were examined by EEG, radionuclide imaging with Tc-99(m)-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (Tc-99(m)-HMPAO), compute d tomography (CT) and,when available, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) , the results of which were evaluated retrospectively Our findings ind icate that neuro-SPET (single photon emission tomography) with Tc-99(m )-HMPAO is more sensitive than morphological or electrophysiological t ests in detecting functional lesions. In our group, 15 of 32 CT scans were normal, compared with 3 of 35 SPET studies. SPET identified appro ximately 2.5 times more lesions than CT (86 vs 34). SPET was found to be particularly sensitive in detecting organic abnormalities in the ba sal ganglia and cerebellar regions, with a 3.6:1 detection rate in the basal ganglia and a 5:1 detection rate in the cerebellum compared wit h CT. In conclusion, neuro-SPET appears to be very useful when evaluat ing paediatric post-TBI patients in whom other modalities are not succ essful.