HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Silverman, I. E. Articles by Alavi, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Silverman, I. E. Articles by Alavi, A.

SPECT in Patients With Cortical Visual Loss

Departments of Neurology and Radiology, Divisions of Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Department of Neurology and Nuclear Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Correspondence: For correspondence or reprints contact: Abass Alavi, MD, Div. Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St./G1, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

ABSTRACT

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with ^99mTc-hexamethyl propyleneamine oxine (HMPAO) was used to investigate changes in cerebral blood flow in seven patients with cortical visual impairment Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the cause of cortical damage in two patients, cerebral ischemia in two patients and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, status epilepticus and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) each in three separate patients. The SPECT scans of the seven patients were compared to T2-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) scans of the brain to determine the correlation between functional and anatomical findings. In six of the seven patients, the qualitative interpretation of the SPECT studies supported the clinical findings (i.e., the visual field defect) by revealing altered regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the appropriate regions of the visual pathway. MR scans in all of the patients, on the other hand, were either normal or disclosed smaller lesions than those detected by SPECT. We conclude that SPECT may reveal altered rCBF in patients with cortical visual impairment of various etiologies, even when MRI studies are normal or nondiagnostic.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y.-J. Lee, T.-S. Chung, Y. Soo Yoon, M. Sik Lee, S.-H. Han, G. Je Seong, and K. Jin Ahn The Role of Functional MR Imaging in Patients with Ischemia in the Visual Cortex AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., June 1, 2001; 22(6): 1043 - 1049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Huo, S. K Burden, C. S Hoyt, and W. V Good Chronic cortical visual impairment in children: aetiology, prognosis, and associated neurological deficits Br. J. Ophthalmol., June 1, 1999; 83(6): 670 - 675. [Abstract] [Full Text]