A case of general paresis showing marked treatment-associated improvement of cerebellar blood flow by quantitative imaging analysis.
We describe a patient with general paresis who developed progressive dementia and a cerebellar syndrome including wide-based gait, slurred speech, and intention tremor. Quantitative analysis by means of a Patlak plot of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99mTc-ethyl cysteinate dimer showed generally low blood flow in the cerebrum and the cerebellum. After antisyphilitic therapy, blood flow in the brain, especially in the cerebellum, improved noticeably, as did the cognitive disorder and the cerebellar syndrome.
Morikawa
Masayuki
M
Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan. mmorikaw@naramed-u.ac.jp
Kosaka
Jun
J
Imai
Teruhiko
T
Ohsawa
Hiroyoshi
H
Iida
Junzo
J
Kishimoto
Toshifumi
T
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; C059659:technetium Tc 99m bicisate; D003545:Cysteine; D010400:Penicillin G