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Brain SPECT in a patient with post-stroke hallucination
S M Kim1, C H Park, C M Intenzo
1Department of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|May 1, 1993
Summary
Visual hallucinations after a stroke may be linked to increased brain perfusion in specific areas. Antiepileptic medication reduced this perfusion and relieved symptoms, suggesting a potential treatment effect.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), commonly known as strokes, can lead to a variety of neurological deficits.
- Visual hallucinations are a less common but significant post-stroke complication that can impact patient quality of life.
Observation:
- A patient presented with visual hallucinations subsequent to a left-sided cerebrovascular accident.
- Brain single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using Technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (Tc-99m HMPAO) revealed hyperperfusion in the biparieto-occipital regions.
Findings:
- Administration of antiepileptic medication led to a decrease in perfusion in the affected biparieto-occipital areas.
- This reduction in brain perfusion correlated with the symptomatic relief of visual hallucinations.
Implications:
- The findings suggest a potential role for neuroimaging in understanding the pathophysiology of post-stroke visual hallucinations.
- Antiepileptic drug treatment may be a viable therapeutic strategy for managing such symptoms, although further research is warranted to confirm causality.