Brain single-photon emission tomography with technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime in adolescents with initial-stage schizophrenia.
The objective of this study was to search for regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) abnormalities in adolescents with initial-stage schizophrenia by means of brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET) using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO). SPET studies were performed on a homogeneous sample of 15 carefully selected adolescents with a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia, and without previous electroconvulsive or antipsychotic drug treatment. Computed tomography (CT) and electro-encephalographic (EEG) studies were performed in all patients. Qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of 99mTc-HMPAO SPET studies showed an impaired rCBF in 12 patients (80%). The most common pattern was a decreased uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO in the frontal lobes, usually in the left hemisphere. Conventional and quantitative EEG was positive in 12 (80%) and 15 (100%) patients, respectively. CT findings were positive in two patients (13%). There was a high level of concordance between SPET and EEG results and between SPET and clinical features (P>0.05). This study suggests that previously untreated patients in the first stages of schizophrenia present functional abnormalities that are revealed by brain SPET.
Batista
J F
JF
Centro de Investigaciones Clínicas, C. Habana, Cuba.
Galiano
M C
MC
Torres
L A
LA
Hernández
M C
MC
Sosa
F
F
Perera
A
A
Pérez
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime