Cerebral abnormalities in cocaine abuser: demonstration by SPECT perfusion brain scintigraphy

Article Abstract:

Cocaine use can cause a number of physiological complications, including abnormalities in the cerebrum of the brain. The number of complications reported compared with the number of users is small, however, indicating that many have no symptoms early on. A noninvasive screening technique is important in early detection of complications arising from cocaine abuse. This study examined the use of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion scans in detecting cerebral abnormalities in 12 patients with histories of cocaine abuse. Five healthy controls were also examined. This technique involves injecting a contrasting agent, in this case iodine-123 isopropyl iodoamphetamine (IMP), into the subjects and then scanning them with a machine that takes many fine X-rays from different layers and positions in the brain and uses a computer to construct final images from the data obtained. Results revealed no abnormalities in the control group. On the other hand, focal defects were seen in the scans of 11 of the 12 patients. Eight of the patients had no symptoms yet seven of these eight had positive findings in the scans. Frontal lobe lesions were seen in seven patients, temporal lesions were seen in six patients, and parietal defects were seen in four patients. Severity of abnormalities as seen on SPECT scans corresponded fairly well with the extent of cocaine abuse. These results indicate that SPECT is sensitive in detecting brain abnormalities in cocaine users that are not symptomatic. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Abnormalities, Complications and side effects, Brain, Cocaine, Brain abnormalities, SPECT imaging, Single photon emission computed tomography

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Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT): applications and potential

Article Abstract:

As greater numbers of pharmaceutical compounds become available in a form radioactively labeled to emit gamma rays, greater opportunities arise for the use of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). This technique records the emission of gamma rays from radiolabeled compounds with the body and then uses complex computations to construct pictures of the anatomical distribution of the compound. This technique may be used within the brain to localize regions of altered blood flow directly, rather than observe only the pathological changes which follow perfusion changes, as do X-ray tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This fact is tremendously useful for, among other things, distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from multiple infarct dementia which results from restrictions of the brain's bloodflow. SPECT can also be used to localize the binding of radiolabeled drugs to receptor sites within the brain and may well contribute to growing knowledge about neurological and psychiatric diseases. Of course, the SPECT technique is not limited to the brain and has been applied to such uses as the observation of coronary artery disease and the localization of bone tumors. Although devised originally as a research tool, SPECT is rapidly becoming another important contributor to the needs of modern diagnostic imaging. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, PET imaging, Positron emission tomography, Medical imaging equipment

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Estimating risk of cancer associated with radiation exposure from 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography

Article Abstract:

The estimates derived from computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) suggest that use of 64-slice CTCA is associated with a nonnegligible lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of cancer with considerably greater risk value for women, younger patients and for combined cardiac and aortic scans.

Usage, Diagnosis, Risk factors, CT imaging, CAT scans, Cancer, Clinical report

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