Tag: regional cerebral blood flow

Monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome: regional cerebral blood flow SPECT

Abstract:

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in monozygotic twins discordant for CFS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors conducted a co-twin control study of 22 monozygotic twins in which one twin met criteria for CFS and the other was healthy. Twins underwent a structured psychiatric interview and resting technetium 99m-hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime single photon emission computed tomography of the brain. They also rated their mental status before the procedure. Scans were interpreted independently by two physicians blinded to illness status and then at a blinded consensus reading. Imaging fusion software with automated three-dimensional matching of rCBF images was used to coregister and quantify results. Outcomes were the number and distribution of abnormalities at both reader consensus and automated quantification. Mean rCBF levels were compared by using random effects regression models to account for the effects of twin matching and potential confounding factors.

RESULTS: The twins with and those without CFS were similar in mean number of visually detected abnormalities and in mean differences quantified by using image registration software. These results were unaltered with adjustments for fitness level, depression, and mood before imaging.

CONCLUSION: The study results did not provide evidence of a distinctive pattern of resting rCBF abnormalities associated with CFS. The described method highlights the importance of selecting well-matched control subjects.

 

Source: Lewis DH, Mayberg HS, Fischer ME, Goldberg J, Ashton S, Graham MM, Buchwald D. Monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome: regional cerebral blood flow SPECT. Radiology. 2001 Jun;219(3):766-73. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11376266

 

Comparison of 99m Tc HMPAO SPECT scan between chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression and healthy controls: an exploratory study of clinical correlates of regional cerebral blood flow

Abstract:

An explorative analysis of the relationship between symptomatology and cerebral blood flow in the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as assessed with 99mTc HMPAO SPECT scan reveals statistically significant positive correlations between frontal blood flow on the one hand and objectively and subjectively assessed cognitive impairment, self-rating of physical activity limitations and total score on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale on the other. A pathophysiological role of frontal blood flow in the cognitive impairment and physical activity limitations in CFS is hypothesized.

A comparison of cerebral blood flow between CFS, major depression (MD) and healthy controls (HC) has been performed. A lower superofrontal perfusion index is demonstrated in MD as compared with both CFS and HC. There is neither a global nor a marked regional hypoperfusion in CFS compared with HC. Asymmetry (R > L) of tracer uptake at parietotemporal level is demonstrated in CFS as compared with MD.

 

Source: Fischler B, D’Haenen H, Cluydts R, Michiels V, Demets K, Bossuyt A, Kaufman L, De Meirleir K. Comparison of 99m Tc HMPAO SPECT scan between chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression and healthy controls: an exploratory study of clinical correlates of regional cerebral blood flow. Neuropsychobiology. 1996;34(4):175-83. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9121617