title: Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging findings with hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime brain single photon emission computed tomography in ischemic stroke patients in the subacute stage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) during the subacute stage in ischemic stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The T1 and T2-weighted images and brain SPECT findings of 84 patients (mean age 60.69 +/- 12.47 years) with subacute cerebral ischemia during the period 1998-2004 were reviewed. All HMPAO SPECT and MRI studies were performed between 3 and 7 days (mean time delay 4.76 +/- 1.29 days) after the onset of stroke symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An ischemic lesion was seen both in T1 and T2-weighted images with perfusion defects above 60% (severe defect) according to count/pixel data of the lesion in HMPAO SPECT studies in 30 (90.9%) of 33 patients. Otherwise, the ischemic lesion was seen only on T2-weighted images with perfusion defects between 30% and 60% (moderate defect) in HMPAO SPECT studies in 25 (89.3%) of 28 patients. In 20 (87%) of 23 patients who had perfusion defects below 30% (mild defect) on HMPAO SPECT, only non-specific findings such as cerebral atrophy and/or periventricular ischemic-gliotic lesions could be seen in MRI. The difference between these ratios was statistically significant (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brain 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT findings indicate good correlation with MRI findings. When the ischemic lesions could be seen in both T1 and T2-weighted images, the patients frequently had severe perfusion defects. When only seen in T2-weighted images, the perfusion defect was moderate. When only non-specific findings were revealed by MRI, only mild perfusion defects were found by SPECT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Selçuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey. drdemet25@hotmail.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kireşi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taştekin
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cengiz
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ustün
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yürüten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010091:Oximes; D010477:Perfusion; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010091:Oximes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C068296:hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime