Comparison between semiquantitative interictal Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT and clinical parameters in children with partial seizures

The aim of the present study was to correlate between clinical parameters (age, age of onset, frequency and durationof seizures) and semiquantitative interictal SPECT parameters in children with partial seizures. We obtained 30 patients who had hypoperfusion in interictal SPECT, retrospectively. All patients underwent a detailed clinical examination, electroencephalography (EEG) investigation and brain computerized tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) studies were evaluated visually and by calculating semiquantitative parameters (the degree (asymmetry index, Al) and extent (number of ROI) of hypoperfusion). Visual analysis detected ipsilateral hypoperfusion in 23 (76%) patients with a unilateral focus and contralateral hypoperfusion in seven patients. We found an inverse correlation between the age at onset of seizure (r = -0.40, P = 0.025), frequency of seizures(but positive correlation; r = 0.77, P = 0.000) and AI. Number of ROIs showed a moderate correlation with the frequency of seizures (r = 0.67, P = 0.000), while correlation of the age at onset of seizures was not significant. This study per-formed in pediatric patients also suggested that either SPECT parameters may be used for correlating with clinical parameters. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.