[Establishment of a brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography database in children by statistical...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Establishing normative data for pediatric brain perfusion is crucial for diagnosing neurological disorders.
• Previous studies have indicated age-dependent changes in cerebral blood flow, but a comprehensive 3D database is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a 3-dimensional, technetium-99m-labeled ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) database for children.
• To investigate age-dependent alterations in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy pediatric subjects.
• To provide a tool for identifying brain perfusion abnormalities in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A statistical analysis was performed on 52 children (1-15 years) with normal brain SPECT and MRI findings.
• Participants were categorized into three age groups: 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 years.
• Regional cerebral blood flow was assessed using 3D 99mTc-ECD SPECT.

Main Results:

• The study established a 3D brain perfusion SPECT database for pediatric age groups.
• Age-dependent changes in rCBF were observed: increased relative blood flow in the frontal lobe and cerebellar hemispheres with age.
• A decrease in relative blood flow was noted in the occipital lobe as age increased.

Conclusions:

• The developed pediatric brain perfusion SPECT database facilitates the identification of 3D abnormalities in individual patients.
• The findings support and refine previous reports on age-related cerebral blood flow changes in children.
• This database can aid in understanding the pathophysiology of various pediatric brain disorders.