E. Evensapir et al., 180-DEGREES SPECT OF THE SPINE IN PATIENTS WITH LOW-BACK-PAIN - COMPARISON WITH 360-DEGREES ACQUISITION, Clinical nuclear medicine, 18(6), 1993, pp. 482-486
Single-photon emission computed tomography has been proven to detect m
ore abnormalities than planar bone scintigraphy in patients with low b
ack pain (LBP). Both 180-degrees and 360-degrees acquisitions were per
formed in 24 patients with LBP to determine whether the shorter 180-de
grees posterior SPECT is as accurate for abnormality detection as 360-
degrees acquisition. The vertebral bodies and posterior elements of 19
3 vertebrae were scored on a five-point score (1 = normal, 5 = abnorma
l), independently by three experienced physicians, on three separate r
econstructed image sets: standard, filtered, back projection 360-degre
es acquisition, distance-weighted 360-degrees acquisition, and standar
d, filtered, back projection 180-degrees acquisition. With one excepti
on, no statistically significant difference in score was found between
180-degrees and 360-degrees images. For one observer, the mean score
of the posterior elements was higher on 180-degrees compared to 360-de
grees standard images. These results indicate that 180-degrees acquisi
tion SPECT may be used for abnormality detection in patients with LBP.