[SPECT imaging of cerebral arteriovenous angiomas. A preliminary report].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate scintigraphic evaluation of cerebral perfusion in patients with intracranial hemangiomas.


METHODS
The examination was carried out in 12 patients aged from 12 to 67 years. In all the patients cerebral angiomas were previously diagnosed and all of them were qualified for intravascular embolization. Brain scintigraphy was performed after IV injection of 99mTcECD and included the dynamic phase with images obtained every 2 seconds for 1.5 minutes and SPECT imaging. The semiquantitative analysis of regional cerebral blood flow was based on the comparison between activity in two symmetrical regions of interest. Cerebral angiography combined with intravascular embolization followed the scintigraphic examination.


RESULTS
Based on angiograms, the size of the nidus was estimated at 1.0 to 9.0 cm. In 8 patients the dynamic study showed an increased tracer accumulation in the region of angioma. On SPECT images the nidus was visualized as focally decreased perfusion in all cases. A decreased tracer accumulation in the area adjacent to the nidus was detected in 8 patients. The ratio of activity in the region of angioma to activity in normally perfused tissue calculated using the semiquantitative analysis was 52% to 89%.


CONCLUSIONS
SPECT images and dynamic phase of cerebral perfusion scintigraphy allow perfusion changes caused by the presence of intracranial angiomas to be identified.
Nocuń
Anna
A
Katedra i Zakład Medycyny Nuklearnej, Akademia Medyczna w Lublinie, Lublin, Poland.
Szajner
Maciej
M
Gil
Krzysztof
K
Cholewiński
Witold
W
Trojanowski
Tomasz
T
Zaorska-Rajca
Janina
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon