Atlas of Brain perfusion SPECT

Radiolabeled Agents for Brain Perfusion SPECT

Xenon-133

The inert gas Xenon-133 has long been used to study rCBF by clearance techniques that relate the change in radiotracer activity over time to blood flow. A number of centers have used SPECT to measure perfusion following the inhalation of Xe-133.

Advantages
1. rCBF can be measured quantitatively without arterial sampling
2. Owing to its rapid clearance from the brain, multiple studies can be performed on the same day.

Limitations
  • It has a low photon energy (80 KeV) which is (a) difficult to image and (b) cause photon attenuation by brain structures.
  • Its rapid clearance from brain (a) causes poor spatial resolution and (b) requires very sensitive instrumentation to capture photons.
  • The inhalation technique is technically more difficult than giving an intravenous injection.



    • Comments and errors to Chandak@dsg.harvard.edu. Information on images through Basem@bwh.harvard.edu.
    Last updated: July 20, 1995.