Clinical evaluation of SPECT/CT fusion imaging for the diagnosis and determination of localisation of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea

ObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate the clinical value of the single photon emission computerized tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) fusion imaging for the diagnosis and determination of localisation of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea.MethodsA total of 33 patients with cerebrospinal rhinorrhea were preoperatively injected with 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) through lumbar puncture and then subjected to planar imaging of the cistern 120 min and 180 min after operation. CT and ECT were then performed. Finally, the rhinorrhea ventage and leaking path were confirmed by fusion image analysis.ResultsThirty-one patients who underwent fusion imaging and 30 patients who underwent planar imaging showed abnormal nuclide activity in the cavity between the basis cranii and the nose. After operation, 30 patients who underwent fusion imaging and 18 patients who underwent planar imaging showed complete correction of the leakage. The diagnosis sensitivity and positional accuracy of fusion imaging were 93.9% (31/33) and 90.9% (30/33) at P> .05. The values of planar imaging were 93.5% (29/31) and 79.3% (23/29) at P< .05.Conclusion99mTc-DTPA SPECT/CT fusion imaging of the cistern is an efficient, simple, and accurate method that may be used for diagnosing and determining the localisation of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea ventage and leakage path.