SIGNS OF CEREBRAL ATROPHY AN SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

Cerebral atrophy often coexists with other brain disorders and by itse lf may alter the pattern of cerebral perfusion. If unrecognized, it ma y confound diagnoses based on brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET). In this retrospective study, we describe and evaluate criteria for the diagnosis of cerebral atrophy on technetium-99m hexamethylpro pylene amine oxime brain SPET studies. The SPET scans of 11 patients w ith cerebral atrophy and ten controls were evaluated for the presence of a prominent interhemispheric fissure, presence of prominent cerebra l sulci, separation of thalamic nuclei, and pronounced separation of c audate nuclei. The SPET studies were interpreted by two independent ob servers blind to the findings of magnetic resonance imaging, which pro vided the final diagnosis of cerebral atrophy. The combination of the four scintigraphic signs was accurate in the diagnosis of cerebral atr ophy in 95% of the cases and had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificit y of 100%.