J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1989; 1:145-153
Copyright © 1989 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]IMP in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders
RA O'Connell, RL Van Heertum, SB Billick, AR Holt, A Gonzalez, H Notardonato, D Luck and LN King
Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY 10011.
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]N- isopropyl
iodoamphetamine--[123I]IMP--was used to study regional cerebral blood flow
(rCBF) in 94 psychiatric patients and six controls. Patients with dementias
had distinct brain-image patterns, consistent with the expected
neuropathology. Major depressives had decreased cortical and subcortical
rCBF. Increased caudate rCBF was observed in schizophrenics and other
psychoses with positive symptoms. SPECT is a practical method of functional
brain imaging with potential in the differential diagnosis of
neuropsychiatric disorders. Further studies are needed to assess the effect
of other variables on brain-image patterns.
