A semi-quantitative method for correlating brain disease groups with normal controls using SPECT: Alzheimer's disease versus vascular dementia

Purpose: To demonstrate the utility of semi-quantitative circumferential-profile analysis of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) SPECT in Alzheimer's disease (AD) versus white matter vascular dementia (WM-VaD). Methods: Subjects underwent dementia evaluation, MRI and Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT. rCBF patterns from 11 AD and 20 WM-VaD patients were compared to 17 controls using semi-quantitative circumferential-profile analysis. Results: AD patients showed more significant semi-quantitative circumferential-profile reductions in the posterior temporo-parietal regions, whereas WM-VaD patients demonstrated greater reductions involving the frontal regions of the brain. Conclusion: Semi-quantitative circumferential-profile analysis provides a practical semi-quantitative method to evaluate brain SPECT scans in AD versus WM-VaD patients. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.