Nuclear Medicine CNS Assessment, Protocols, and Interpretation

Excerpt

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the 2 primary diagnostic imaging modalities used to evaluate various pathologies affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Nuclear medicine examinations provide a functional and metabolic assessment of the CNS, complementing the anatomic evaluation typically performed using other modalities such as CT, MRI, and angiography.

The CNS comprises the brain and spinal cord. Nuclear medicine examinations use various radiotracers to assess the brain's metabolic activity through fludeoxyglucose F 18 (F 18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) or CT scans, brain perfusion, detect the presence or absence of dopaminergic neurons via dopaminergic transporter scans (DaTscans), and determine cerebrospinal fluid flow using Indium-111 or Technetium 99m (Tc 99m).