SPECT
Nuclear medicine tomographic imaging of perfusion and function.
What is SPECT?
Nuclear medicine tomographic imaging of perfusion and function.
How it works: Refer to modality standard acquisition and reconstruction pipeline.
Advantages
- ✓Noninvasive or minimally invasive
- ✓Widely available in centers
- ✓Guides management
Limitations
- ⚠Limited by operator or motion
- ⚠May need contrast or prep
- ⚠Not perfect specificity
Preparation Checklist
0 of 3 completed
⚖️SPECT vs CT
Related Imaging Modalities
Combine with CT/MRI/US for complementary detail.
CT
CT scans use X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body. They are particularly useful for detecting bone fractures, tumors, and internal bleeding.
MRI
MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and soft tissues. Excellent for brain, spine, and joint imaging.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound uses sound waves to create real-time images. Commonly used for pregnancy monitoring and examining organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Browse SPECT Terms
Explore common terms in SPECT reports, each with detailed explanations, clinical significance, and related lab tests to help you understand your imaging results. lab tests.
Brain Perfusion SPECT
Areas of decreased or increased radiotracer uptake corresponding to regional cerebral blood flow. Focal defects indicate stroke, tumor, or trauma. Diffuse patterns suggest neurodegenerative disease. Frontal/temporal hypoperfusion suggests dementia.
Myocardial Perfusion SPECT
Reversible perfusion defects indicate ischemia. Fixed defects suggest scar/infarction. Stress-induced ischemia shows reduced tracer uptake during stress with normalization at rest. Wall motion abnormalities and transient ischemic dilation may be present.
Parathyroid Adenoma SPECT
Focal area of increased radiotracer uptake corresponding to parathyroid adenoma. Early thyroid-phase images show thyroid and parathyroid activity together. Delayed parathyroid-phase images show persistent parathyroid uptake with washout from thyroid. Adenoma appears as focal hot spot distinct from thyroid tissue.
Spect Example 1
Representative finding for this modality.
Spect Example 2
Representative finding for this modality.
Spect Example 3
Representative finding for this modality.
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