Value of thallium 201-SPECT in typing brain space-occupying lesions

• Published in: Revista española de medicina nuclear Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 330 - 337
• Main Authors: Martínez del Valle Torres, M D, Gómez Rio, M, Rodríguez Fernández, A, Sabatel Hernandez, G, Ortega Lozano, S, Ramos Font, C, Bellon Guardia, M, López Ramírez, E, Llamas Elvira, J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.09.2004
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Brain Abscess - diagnostic imaging; Brain Abscess - surgery; Brain Neoplasms - classification; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - pathology; Brain Neoplasms - surgery; Female; Glioma - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Radiography; Sensitivity and Specificity; Thallium; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
• ISSN: 0212-6982

This study was designed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of single photon emission computed tomography with Tl-201 (SPECT Tl-201) to establish the tumoral or non-tumoral nature of brain space occupying lesions in comparison with usual diagnostic techniques. The study population consisted of 37 patients, 24 men (64.9 %) and 13 women (35.1 %), mean age 48 +/- 16 years. After establishing the clinical and radiological diagnosis of brain lesion, all patients underwent SPECT Tl-201, evaluating it only by subjective analysis and blinded to neuroestructural techniques. After surgical resection all patients were evaluated anatomopathologically to establish the histologic nature. The sensitivity of SPECT Tl-201 (0.87) was higher than standard neuroimaging techniques (0.78). Specificity (0.43), positive (0.87) and negative (0.43) predictive values of SPECT were similar to neuroestructural procedures (MRI and CT scan) with 0.43, 0.82 and 0.38 values. Tumoral disease prevalence was 0.81. Neuroestructural procedures were non-conclusive in 18.9 % of the studies. No non-conclusive results were obtained with SPECT Tl-201. SPECT Tl-201 is a diagnostic procedure of high sensitivity to establish the tumoral nature of brain lesions, with poor specificity, similar to structural X-ray techniques.