Dimer Single Photon Research Articles

Tc-99m ECD SPECT and FDG PET in Partial Status Epilepticus Resulting From Cerebral Sparganosis

Sparganosis is a rare intracranial parasitic disease caused by the infestation of a plerocercoid tapeworm larva of Spirometra mansoni. According to previous studies of cerebral sparganosis, common clinical features are seizure, hemiparesis, and chronic headache. We report a case of cerebral sparganosis in which the patient presented with a first attack of sustained unilateral jerky involuntary movements that concluded as a partial status epilepsy based on the ictal and interictal brain Tc-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and interictal FGD positron emission tomography (PET) studies.

Increased uptake of 99Tcm-ethyl cysteinate dimer in patients with brain tumours.

We performed 229 99Tcm-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) single photon emission tomography (SPET) studies in 185 patients with brain tumour. Increased uptake of the tracer was observed in 11 cases. In six of these 11 patients, focal intense activity was seen in the area surrounding the tumour. Five of these six patients had episodes of seizure, and ictal SPET showed further increased uptake in the area of hyperperfusion in one patient. Hyperperfusion surrounding the tumour might be related to seizure. In the remaining five patients, increased accumulation was seen in the tumour. Three of these five patients had a discrepancy between 99Tcm-ECD SPET and 201Tl SPET imaging. There could be some difference in the mechanism of accumulation in the tumour between 99Tcm-ECD and 201Tl.