Evaluation of brain perfusion SPECT using an easy Z-score imaging system (eZIS) as an adjunct to early-diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.
The eZIS allows computer-assisted statistical analysis of brain perfusion SPECT images. We evaluated the diagnostic value of brain perfusion SPECT using eZIS in patients with various neurodegenerative diseases at a very early stage, within one year from onset.


METHODS
SPECT using eZIS was performed for patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal dementia (FTD,), idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) and vascular Parkinsonism (VP), multiple systemic atrophy of the cerebellar type (MSA-C), cortical cerebellar atrophy (CCA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).


RESULTS
Decreased rCBF was observed in the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus and parietal cortex in AD; in the frontal gyrus and insula in FTD; in the occipital lobe, precuneus gyrus and posterior cingulate cortex in DLB; in the striatum and the thalamus in VP; in the cerebellum in CCA; in the cerebellum and pons in MSA-C and in the frontal cortex including the central sulcus in ALS. Increased rCBF in the striatum, thalamus and cerebellar dentate nuclei were observed in PD.


CONCLUSIONS
A specific rCBF pattern was observed for each disease using eZIS analysis, consistent with previous reports. Our results showed eZIS can be easily used as an adjunct to early-diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases in any hospital.
Waragai
Masaaki
M
Division of Neurology, JR Tokyo General Hospital, 2-1-3, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8528, Japan. warawaram2002@aol.com
Yamada
Tatsuo
T
Matsuda
Hiroshi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*