Is there a Role for Spect with (99m)Tc-Tetrofosmin in the Diagnostic Work Up of a Brain Tumor?

ABSTRACT Brain MRI is the gold standard for diagnosis of brain tumors. In some cases preoperative MRI cannot predict the grade of malignancy, diagnostic information that could be very helpful to the surgeon. In such cases functional imaging with nuclear medicine techniques may prove quite useful.We present a case of a 58-year-old man with a brain tumor in the parieto-occipital region. Anatomic brain imaging by magnetic resonance imaging was indicative of a low grade astrocytoma. This was followed by planar imaging and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin which showed increased radiotracer accumulation in the lesion, suggesting a glioblastoma which was histologically confirmed. We think that in the MRI era sometimes a (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin brain scan can contribute to diagnostic workup and improve the final management of the patient.