HM-PAO-SPECT in persistent vegetative state after head injury: prognostic indicator of the likelihood of recovery?
case_series · Level IV
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Abstract
Management of patients presenting with traumatic persistent vegetative state (PVS) calls for extensive resources. The ability to predict whether or not a patient is likely to recover is a critical issue. In 12 patients with PVS admitted consecutively for early rehabilitation after head injury, pattern of brain activity was measured by 99mTc-hexamethyl-propylenamineoxime (99mTc-HM-PAO) brain SPECT (single photon emission computer tomography). All patients were re-investigated after a mean observation period of 3 years. A global reduction of cortical blood flow was a reliable predictor of poor long-term outcome, but the demonstration of only focal deficits did not reliably indicate a favourable outcome. Brain SPECT may help to improve outcome prediction in patients with traumatic PVS.
Medical subject headings
- Coma
- Craniocerebral Trauma
- Organotechnetium Compounds
- Oximes
- Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon