Abstract
Background. We evaluated retrospectively single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of the brain in diagnosis of the patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and with other cognitive impairment.
Methods. Sixty eight patients with clinical diagnoses (33 patients with probable AD, 13 with mild cognitive deficit (MCI) and 20 individuals with other disorders) were classified into 5 major categories according to the second assessment of brain SPECT: AD perfusion pattern (19 patients), vascular dementia pattern (17), mixed dementia pattern (MIX) (18), other patterns (11) and normal one (3).
Results. Eighty seven percent AD patients had typical AD a perfusion pattern and nearly half of them had a MIX pattern.
All five patterns of perfusion patterns were seen in patients with MCI. In 25 right-handed patients with the SPECT pattern suggestive of AD or MIX, temporoparietal or temporal hypoperfusion was detected in the first examination of these patients on the left in 60 %, on the right in 8 % and billaterlly in 32 % of AD patients.
Conclusion. SPECT of the brain may support the diagnosis of AD.
In addition, it may hint vascular changes in the brain. Different patterns in patients with MCI reflect heterogeneity of MCI