title: Tc-99 HMPAO cerebral SPECT imaging in brain death patients with complex spinal automatism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the value ofTc-99 HMP AO cerebral SPECT imaging to confirm brain death in patients with complex spinal automatism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients (8 female, 7 male) aged between 1,5-48 years showing spinal movements within 24-72 hours after brain death were examined with Tc-99 HMPAO cerebral SPECT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients demonstrated empty skull on Tc-99 HMPAO images and no contradictory case was ob- served between standard clinical criteria and SPECT study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-invasive brain SPECT study is valuable to diagnose and confirm brain death with spinal automatism in adults and children. Key words: Tc-99 HMPAO SPECT, brain death, spinal automatism
authors.affiliation: Uludag University, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Bursa, Turkey, ici@uludag.edu.tr
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kahveci
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bekar
authors.forename: Fevzi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tamgac
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020211:Autonomic Dysreflexia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001926:Brain Death / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime