A Case of Cerebral Sparganosis :
Technetium-99m-ECD Brain SPECT experience

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 17(5); 1999 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1999;17(5): 777-779.

뇌스파르가눔증 1예 : Tc-99m-ECD 뇌혈류 SPECT 경험

한상원, 박동철 이병인

연세대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실

A Case of Cerebral Sparganosis : Technetium-99m-ECD Brain SPECT experience

Sang Won Han, M.D., Dong Chul Park, M.D., Byung In Lee, M.D.

Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University

Abstract

Cerebral sparganosis is a rare intracranial parasitic infectious disease. The best treatment seems to be the surgical removal of the worm and granuloma. However, it has not been proved possible to determine whether the worm is dead or alive by a single Brain CT or MRI findings. We report clinical and technetium-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) cerebral perfusion SPECT findings in a case with 57-year-old cerebral sparganosis patient. During 3 years of fol-low- up, the patient did not have any newly developed neurological signs. Follow-up serum/CSF ELISA tests for sparganosis were positive and the worm was presumed to be in a dormant stage. Cerebral perfusion SPECT showed an irregular shaped area with decreased 99mTc-ECD uptake. The brain SPECT findings in our patient could not be exactly explained with the worm ’s natural history. However, the brain SPECT may be helpful in determining the treatment of newly diagnosed cerebral sparganosis patients. J Kor Neurol Ass 17(5):777~779, 1999 Key Words : Cerebral sparganosis, Diagnosis, SPECT