title: The diagnostic utility of 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT imaging: a retrospective case series from a tertiary referral early-onset cognitive disorders clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with early-onset dementia (EOD) often present atypically, making an accurate diagnosis difficult. Single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) provides an indirect measure of cerebral metabolic activity and can help to differentiate between dementia subtypes. This study aims to investigate the clinical utility of SPECT imaging in the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients attending a tertiary referral clinic specialising in EOD between April 2012 and October 2013 were included in the study. Statistical analysis of SPECT patterns with clinical diagnoses, Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination version 3 scores, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) atrophy was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated a highly significant association between SPECT hypoperfusion patterns and clinical diagnoses. SPECT changes were demonstrated more frequently than MRI atrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that SPECT imaging may be a useful adjunct to clinical evaluation and a more sensitive biomarker than standard structural imaging.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: Shuna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colville
authors.forename: Zubair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Suvankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime