HMPAO BRAIN SPECT IN ACUTE CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING

Technetium-99m-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) brain images wi th fanbeam SPECT, in combination with surface three-dimensional displa y, were used to detect basal ganglion and cerebral cortex anomalies in the acute phase of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Methods: Ten patie nts, aged 16-29 yr, with acute CO poisoning and no past history of neu rologic disorders were enrolled in this study. After oxygen treatment, all 10 patients were investigated using Tc-99m-HMPAO brain images wit h fanbeam SPECT and surface three-dimensional display. Meanwhile, 6 of 10 patients also received a brain CT scan. Results: CT scan findings were negative in all 6 patients. Fanbeam SPECT demonstrated unilateral or bilateral hypoactivity of basal ganglia in 6 patients. Local hypoa ctivity anomalies were found in the brain cortex of 7 patients, using surface three-dimensional display of the brain. Only 2 of 10 patients had normal Tc-99m-HMPAO brain images. Conclusion: this study suggests that, in comparison with traditional brain imaging techniques, Tc-99m- HMPAO brain imaging with fanbeam SPECT in combination with surface thr ee-dimensional display is a better tool for early detection of regiona l cerebral anomalies in acute CO poisoning.