Technetium-99m-HMPAO SPECT and MRI of brain in patients with neuro-Behçet's syndrome.
Involvement of the brain is one of the most important complications of Behçet's disease (BS). It is difficult to diagnose, however, because of the lack of effective imaging methods.


METHODS
Thirteen BS patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms or signs [Neuro-Behçet's syndrome (NBS)] were included in this study. We combined two routine brain imaging modalities-brain SPECT with 99mTc-hexamethyl propyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) and brain MRI-with clinical manifestations to diagnose brain involvement.


RESULTS
Technetium-99m-HMPAO brain SPECT findings were abnormal in 100% (13/13) of patients. Brain MRI findings were abnormal in 31% (4/13) of patients. Gray matter was involved more commonly than white matter. In the gray matter, the cerebral cortex was the most commonly involved area and the cerebellum was the least commonly involved area in NBS.


CONCLUSIONS
SPECT is a more sensitive and useful tool in detecting brain involvement in NBS patients compared with brain MRI. The combination of HMPAO and MRI is necessary to detect brain lesions in both gray and white matter in NBS.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
C H
CH
Kao
J L
JL
Lan
S P
SP
ChangLai
P U
PU
Chieng
D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime