180-DEGREES SPECT OF THE SPINE IN PATIENTS WITH LOW-BACK-PAIN - COMPARISON WITH 360-DEGREES ACQUISITION

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.