Regional cerebral blood flow assessed by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 220; pp. 40 - 42
• Main Authors: Or, Matan, Peremans, Kathelijne, Martlé, Valentine, Vandermeulen, Eva, Bosmans, Tim, Devriendt, Nausikaa, de Rooster, Hilde
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-02-2017
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - blood supply; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Dog Diseases - etiology; Dogs - abnormalities; Female; Hepatic Encephalopathy - etiology; Hepatic Encephalopathy - veterinary; Male; Portal Vein - abnormalities; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - veterinary; Vascular Malformations; (99m)Technetium-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime; Portosystemic shunt; Single photon emission computed tomography; Hepatic encephalopathy; Canine
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.12.009

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in eight dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt (PSS) and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was compared with rCBF in eight healthy control dogs using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with a
technetium-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (
Tc-HMPAO) tracer. SPECT scans were abnormal in all PSS dogs. Compared to the control group, rCBF in PSS dogs was significantly decreased in the temporal lobes and increased in the subcortical (thalamic and striatal) area. Brain perfusion imaging alterations observed in the dogs with PSS and HE are similar to those in human patients with HE. These findings suggest that dogs with HE and PSS have altered perfusion of mainly the subcortical and the temporal regions of the brain.