SPECT imaging of the lumbosacral spine and pelvis

This is a prospective comparison of SPECT versus planar imaging of the lumbosacral spine and pelvis, performed in order to assess which technique was more useful in clinical practice. One hundred adults were studied with both techniques, and abnormalities uncovered by either imaging method were graded 1-4 based on the lesion's relative uptake intensity. SPECT imaging significantly improved lesion detection, especially in conditions resulting in only low grade tracer uptake on planar studies. Precision in anatomic localization furthermore improved the quality and usefulness of diagnostic information resulting from SPECT imaging compared to planar examinations. SPECT is recommended for routine imaging of the lumbosacral spine and pelvis in symptomatic patients, especially when planar examinations are normal or equivocal.