BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the value of NeuroGam software in diagnosis of epilepsy by 99Tcm-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) brain imaging.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: NeuroGam was used to analyze 52 cases of clinically proven epilepsy by 99Tcm-ECD brain imaging. The results were compared with EEG and MRI, and the positive rates and localization to epileptic foci were analyzed.

RESULTS: NeuroGam analysis showed that 42 of 52 epilepsy cases were abnormal. 99Tcm-ECD brain imaging revealed a positive rate of 80.8% (42/52), with 36 out of 42 patients (85.7%) clearly showing an abnormal area. Both were higher than that of brain perfusion SPECT, with a consistency of 64.5% (34/52) using these 2 methods. Decreased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was observed in frontal (18), temporal (20), and parietal lobes (2). Decreased rCBF was seen in frontal and temporal lobes in 4 out of 36 patients, and in temporal and parietal lobes of 2 out of 36 patients. NeuroGam further showed that the abnormal area was located in a different functional area of the brain. EEG abnormalities were detected in 29 out of 52 patients (55.8%) with 16 cases (55.2%) clearly showing an abnormal area. MRI abnormalities were detected in 17 out of 43 cases (39.5%), including 9 cases (52.9%) clearly showing an abnormal area. The consistency of NeuroGam software analysis, and EEG and MRI were 48.1% (25/52) and 34.9% (15/43), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: NeuroGam software analysis offers a higher sensitivity in detecting epilepsy than EEG or MRI. It is a powerful tool in 99Tcm-ECD brain imaging.

Keywords: Brain - radionuclide imaging, Adolescent, Cysteine - analysis, Electroencephalography - methods, Epilepsy - radionuclide imaging, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods, Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods, Neuroimaging - methods, Organotechnetium Compounds - analysis, Software, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - methods, young adult