A retrospective analysis of psychiatric patients evaluated by brain perfusion SPECT

Abstract

Objective: Brain Perfusion Single Photon Emulsion Computed Tomography (BP-SPECT) is an important but rather expensive method for evaluating brain function and its use in psychiatry is increasing. The aim of this study is to investigate the motives of psychiatrists who recommended BP-SPECT be performed, the results of these evalua¬tions and'the implications of those results. Method: We investigated the files of all 60 psychiatric patients who were evaluated with BP-SPECT. Results and Conclusion: The results of this study showed that BP-SPECT can be a useful diagnostic method if used properly and we found out that psychiatrists had to revise their knowledge about BP-SPECT, since there were not as many evaluations as it would be, and in an unnegligible number of patients the results were not even recorded. An interdisciplinary approach and more education could resolve this problem and make BP-SPECT gain its real value.