[en] Brain SPECT was not effectively exploited until I-123 isopropyl amphetamine (IAMP), indicator able to penetrate the blood brain barrier, became available. Although the experience of research teams working with IAMP is quite restricted due to the high cost of the indicator, some applications now appear to be worth the cost and in some cases provide data which cannot be obtained with routine techniques, especially in cerebrovascular patients, in epilepsy and some cases of tumor. Brain SPECT appears as an atraumatic test which is useful to establish a functional evaluation of the cerebral parenchyma, and which is a complement to arteriography, X-ray scan and regional cerebral blood flow measurement

[en] I-123-isopropyl amphetamine (IAMP) and I-123 trimethyl propane diamine (HIPDM) are the first two brain indicators labelled with a gamma emitter. The brain activity curve reaches a value of 5% of the injected dose after 30 minutes and tomographic images of the brain can be obtained. Hypofixation is observed in brain lesions such as tumors or infarcts. At present, applications of brain tomography using IAMP or HIPDM are limited to focal epilepsy and Alzheimer disease. However, results obtained in cerebrovascular patients are encouraging and could become the most important applications of these two substances

No abstract available

[en] Cerebral blood flow CBF was studied using a rapidly rotating Single Photon Computerized Emission Tomograph SPECT with high sensitivity, the TOMOMATIC 64. Xenon-133 administered by inhalation was compared to isopropyl-iodo-amphetamine labelled with Iodine-123 IAMP-I-123 injected i.v. in patients in the chronic phase some months after a stroke. The early IAMP-I-123 image taken over the first 10 minutes showed the same CBF dominated distribution as Xe-133. Over the following 2 to 5 hours two distinctly different IAMP-I-123 images were found. Persistent low uptake was found over hypodense areas, emolission having virtually no flow or metabolism. Delayed uptake with disappearance of side-to-side asymmetry was found in areas with CBF, but without lesions on X-ray computerized tomography CT. The delayed IAMP-I-123 uptake therefore seems to reflect a more intact state of the tissue than the persistent low uptake. (author)

No abstract available

[en] IVDSA appears to be a reliable method and should therefore be considered as a first step examination when Takayasu's disease is suspected. The simplicity and safety of the method provide a rationale for the use of this technique in Takayasu's disease. Therapeutic decisions can usually be obtained without further radiological investigation, and conventional arteriography has to be performed only when data obtained with IVDSA are insufficient. In these rare cases, conventional arteriography aims at the investigation of a particular area. The site of arterial puncture can be precisely guided by IVDSA. (orig.)