title: Serial single photon emission computed tomography imaging in patients with cerebral lupus during acute exacerbation and after treatment.
abstract: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [99mTc] HMPAO was performed sequentially every week in 4 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), from the acute phase of neurologic involvement until normal cerebral blood flow (CBF) was detected by the scan. SPECT accurately reflects central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities in patients with SLE and correlates with subsequent improvement. Correlated with the patients' rapid clinical improvement, the brain SPECT blood flow scan demonstrated homogeneous distribution in 1 to 9 weeks. In these four patients, the defect in CBF could be reversed by optimal treatment. Brain SPECT blood flow scan may be used as a biologic marker of pathologic activity in the brain of patients with SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital and Chang Gung Medical College, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D011239:Prednisolone; D008775:Methylprednisolone