Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT in the evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease: correlation between neuropsychiatric evaluation and CBF images
- Muhammad Babar Imrana,
- Ryuta Kawashimaa,
- Shuichi Awatab,
- Kazunori Satoa,
- Shigeo Kinomuraa,
- Shuichi Onoa,
- Mitsumoto Satob,
- Hiroshi Fukudaa
- aDepartment of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, bDepartment of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
- Dr M Babar Imran, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Division of Brain Sciences, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University 4–1, Seiryo machi, Aoba - ku, Sendai, Japan 980–8575. Telephone 0081 22 717 8559; fax 0081 22 717 8575.
- Received 23 March 1998
- Revised 6 July 1998
- Accepted 10 August 1998
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of various covariants on the distribution pattern of Tc-99m HMPAO in patients with Alzheimer’s disease by correlation analysis. Twenty patients with Alzheimer’s disease and 15 age matched normal subjects participated. Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT and xray computed tomography (CT) were acquired for each subject. SPECT images were transformed to a standard size and shape by automated image registration (AIR) and were used for group comparison by means of SPM96. Voxel based covariance analysis was performed on standardised images taking the age of patients, severity of disease (clinical dementia rating scale, mini mental state examination, physical self maintenance scale), and atrophy indices as variables. There was significantly decreased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the frontal, parietal, and temporal regions in the patient group (p<0.001), more marked in those patients having severe dementia. Covariance analysis disclosed that aging and severity of disease have a pronounced effect on rCBF, especially that of the left parietal region.
