VITAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE BRAIN
Nuclear Imaging of Brains
Images of Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Images of Brain Trauma & Injury
Images "Ring of Fire" & Alcohol Induced Violence
Images of Obsessive Compulsive OCD
How SPECT Is Interpreted
<< BRAVA Brain Nutrition Intro
SPECT studies can be displayed in a variety of different ways. Traditionally, the brain is examined in three different planes:
(1) horizontally (cut from top to bottom),
(2) coronally (cut from front to back),
(3) sagittally (cut from side to side)
What do physicians see when they look at a SPECT study? We examine it for symmetry and activity levels indicated by shades of color (in different color scales selected depending on the physician's preference, including gray scales) and compare it to what we know a normal brain looks like. A normal SPECT image reveals homogeneous and uniform tracer accumulation throughout the cerebral cortex, with the cerebellum being the area with the most intense activity. Chiron studied the normal progression of cerebral perfusion in children and found that by the age of 2 or 3 there is the same relative perfusion patterns as those seen in adults.
One kind is a 3D surface image, looking at the blood flow of the brain's cortical surface. These images are helpful for picking up cortical surface areas of good activity as well as underactive areas. They are helpful to look at strokes, brain trauma, the effects from drug abuse, etc. A normal 3D surface scan shows good, full, symmetrical activity across the brain's cortical surface.
The other kind is a 3D active brain image comparing average brain activity to the hottest 15% of activity. These images are helpful for picking up areas of overactivity, as seen in active seizures, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety problems, certain forms of depression, etc. A normal 3D active scan shows increased activity (seen by the light color) in the back of the brain (the cerebellum and visual or occipital cortex) and average activity everywhere else (shown by the background grid).
We are usually alerted that something is wrong in one of three ways:
(1) they see too much activity in a certain area;
(2) they see too little activity in a certain area; or
(3) they see asymmetrical areas of activity, which ought to be symmetrical.
Normal Brain Images (click photos for larger image)
Nuclear 3D Images Normal Brains
Top down surface view
underside surface view
bottom side active view
front on active view
Reproduced with permission from Amen Clinics.
Medical Disclaimer: The information on this web site is for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for a medical evaluation. If you feel that medical interventions are necessary, please check with your physician.
front on surface view
side surface view
top down active view
underside active view