Utility of Tc-99m-HM-PAO SPECT hippocampal image to diagnose early stages of Alzheimer's disease using semiquantitative analysis

Objective: Examination of the utility of Tc-99m-hexamethylpropylene amine o xide (Tc-99m-HM-PAO) SPECT hippocampal image to diagnose early stages of Al zheimer's disease (AD) using semiquantitative analysis, Subjects: 10 early-stage AD patients and 8 normal sex-matched elderly contr ols. Setting: Outpatient division of the Ehime University Hospital. Method: We performed Tc-99m-HM-PAO SPECT perfusion imaging in each subject, A semiquantitative method of assessing regional variation was used, The re gions of interest for temporal regions were set at images parallel to the l ong axis of the hippocampal formation which were reconstructed at 30 degree s negative to the orbitomeatal line and those for other regions were set on ordinary transaxial images. Results: The regional cerebral blood flow ratio of the bilateral medial tem poral lobe at the hippocampal image was significantly fewer in the AD subje cts than in the normally aged controls without ant other differences in ord inary transaxial images. Conclusion: This study suggests that Tc-99m-HM-PAO SPECT hippocampal images might be a helpful tool for the diagnosis of very-early-stage AD. Copyrigh t (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.