Miscellaneous: SPECT and SPECT/CT for Brain and Inflammation Imaging and Radiation Planning

Abstract

Combination of SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) with CT (computed tomography) provides the opportunity for a direct correlation of anatomic information and functional data and leads to a better localization and defi nition of scintigraphic fi ndings. Besides anatomic referencing, the other advantage of CT co-registration is the attenuation correction capabilities of CT. These advantages together result in a higher specifi city of imaging and a signifi cant reduction in indeterminate fi ndings. This chapter highlights the potential clinical applications of integrated SPECT/CT in neurology, infl ammation imaging, and radiation planning and summarizes future directions for SPECT/CT in these fi elds. SPECT/CT for Inflammation ImagingDepending on the type of suspected disease and the clinical presentation, diagnosis of infl ammatory diseases usually requires laboratory and imaging procedures to confi rm clinical diagnosis. Therefore, the context in which specifi c imaging procedures are needed should be selected as in a case-by-case approach. Cross-sectional imaging modalities, mainly CT and MRI, provide high-quality anatomical details, but structural changes that are developed due to infl ammatory processes are usually nonspecifi c.The role of nuclear medicine imaging procedures, including SPECT/CT and PET (positron emission tomography) imaging using different radiopharmaceuticals, has been specifi cally appreciated in the diagnosis of infection of joint prostheses, infected vascular grafts, and a number of other infl ammatory processes [ 1 -34 ].