Utility of Brain SPECT in Diagnosis of Elderly Depressed Patient

노인 우울증 환자의 진단에서 뇌 SPECT의 효율성

Primary depression with cognitive impairment, referred to as depressive pseudodementia, may be mistaken for a progressive degenerative dementia. Recognition of primary depression is clinically important because of its treatability. To differentiate depression from degenerative dementia, author used brain SPECT. By the result the regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) in elderly depressed patient was decreased in the right frontal cortex. The pattern of rCBF was different from that of dementia which shows decreased rCBF in bifrontal cortex. By using brain SPECT in depressed elderly patient with cognitive impairment, the discrimination from dementia will be more effective and accurate.