Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scan

A Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scan is a type of nuclear imaging test that shows how blood flows to tissues and organs.

How does a SPECT scan work?

A SPECT scan integrates two technologies to view your body: computed tomography (CT) and a radioactive material (tracer). The tracer is what allows doctors to see how blood flows to tissues and organs.

Before the SPECT scan, you are injected with a chemical that is radiolabled, meaning it emits gamma rays that can be detected by the scanner. The computer collects the information emitted by the gamma rays and translates them into two-dimensional cross-sections. These cross-sections can be added back together to form a 3D image of your brain.

What does a SPECT scan show?

A SPECT scan is primarily used to view how blood flows through arteries and veins in the brain. Tests have shown that it might be more sensitive to brain injury than either MRI or CT scanning because it can detect reduced blood flow to injured sites.