SPECT A Window into Anxiety and Depression

Before we go further, it is important to understand SPECT technology. SPECT stands for single photon emission computer tomography. It is a so­phisticated nuclear medicine study that allows us to visualize brain blood flow and metabolism. In this study, a radioactive isotope is attached to a sub­stance (Ceretec) that is easily taken up by the cells in the brain. A small amount of this compound is injected into a patient's vein, travels through the bloodstream, and locks into brain cells. As the isotope breaks down it re­leases energy in the form of gamma rays. The gamma rays are like beacons of light that signal where the compound is in the brain. People do not have allergic reactions to SPECT studies. Special crystals in the SPECT "gamma" camera detect these beacons of light as the camera rotates around the pa­tient's head for about fifteen minutes. About 10 million gamma rays strike the crystals during a typical scan, and a supercomputer then translates this information into sophisticated blood flow/metabolism maps and three-dimensional images of the brain. Physicians and researchers use these maps to identify patterns of brain activity that correlate to healthy brain function and those that are associated with psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

SPECT imaging belongs to a branch of medicine called nuclear medi­cine. Nuclear medicine studies measure the physiological functioning of the body. They are used to diagnose a multitude of medical conditions: heart disease, certain forms of infection, the spread of cancer, and bone and thy­roid diseases. Brain SPECT studies help in the diagnosis of brain trauma, de­mentia, atypical or unresponsive mood disorders, strokes, seizures, the impact of drug abuse on brain function, complex forms of Attention Deficit Dis­order, and atypical or aggressive behaviors.



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