Brain perfusion in acute encephalitis: relationship to prognosis studied using SPECT.
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and cranial computed tomography were sequentially examined in 2 patients with acute encephalitis. Radiographic computed tomography revealed focal low-density areas within a few days of the onset of symptoms in both patients. In SPECT, 1 patient exhibited hyperperfusion in the corresponding area, while the other had a normal scan. The outcome of the former was poor, while the latter recovered fully. Abnormal brain perfusion, thus, coincided with a poor prognosis. SPECT may be used to promptly evaluate the focal change of acute encephalitis.
Nara
T
T
Division of Neurology, Saitama Children's Medical Center, Iwatsuki, Japan.
Nozaki
H
H
Nishimoto
H
H
D000208:Acute Disease; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*