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Principles of Brain Perfusion SPECT

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Abstract

Brain perfusion SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) is a noninvasive molecular imaging technique in which gamma photons emitted from an injected radioactive tracer allow three-dimensional estimation of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). The technique is similar to that of a CT scan, except that the radiation source that is imaged is internal to the patient, thereby allowing for acquisition of functional data. This allows identification of regional hypoperfusion to aid in diagnosis of cerebrovascular disorders and neurologic and neurodegenerative disorders. This chapter describes the technical aspects of performing brain perfusion SPECT, as well as a brief overview of the established clinical and investigational indications for brain perfusion SPECT.

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Correspondence to Shana Elman MD .

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Elman, S., Lewis, D.H. (2014). Principles of Brain Perfusion SPECT. In: Dierckx, R., Otte, A., de Vries, E., van Waarde, A., Luiten, P. (eds) PET and SPECT of Neurobiological Systems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-42014-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-42014-6_5

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