Cobalt-55 positron emission tomography in traumatic brain injury: a pilot study

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 221 - 224
• Main Authors: Jansen, H M, van der Naalt, J, van Zomeren, A H, Paans, A M, Veenma-van der Duin, L, Hew, J M, Pruim, J, Minderhoud, J M, Korf, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.02.1996; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Brain Injuries - physiopathology; Cobalt Radioisotopes; Electroencephalography; Humans; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Pilot Projects; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Wounds and Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Wounds and Injuries - physiopathology; Radionuclide study; Human; Nervous system diseases; Craniocerebral; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Exploration; Cobalt; Trauma; Cerebral disorder; Previous study; Central nervous system disease; Skull disease; Positron; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.60.2.221

Traumatic brain injury is usually assessed with the Glasgow coma scale (GCS), CT, or MRI. After such injury, the injured brain tissue is characterised by calcium mediated neuronal damage and inflammation. Positron emission tomography with the isotope cobalt-55 (Co-PET) as a calcium tracer enables imaging of affected tissue in traumatic brain injury. The aim was to determine whether additional information can be gained by Co-PET in the diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury and to assess any prognostic value of Co-PET. Five patients with recent moderately severe traumatic brain injury were studied. CT was performed on the day of admission, EEG within one week, and MRI and Co-PET within four weeks of injury. Clinical assessment included neurological examination, GCS, neuropsychological testing, and Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) after one year. Co-PET showed focal uptake that extended beyond the morphological abnormalities shown by MRI and CT, in brain regions that were actually diagnosed with EEG. Thus Co-PET is potentially useful for diagnostic localisation of both structural and functional abnormalities in moderate traumatic brain injury.