[Role of SPECT scans in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases].

With an incidence of 200-250 in 100,000 persons year, cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is the most common neurological disorder. In most countries, CVD is the third most frequent cause of death, exceeded only by heart disease and cancer. There are roughly 5.000 new cases per year in Hungary. Additionally, it should be emphasized that there are facts suggesting a more severe population of patients with CVD compared to the analogue group in more developed countries. There are several causes of stroke, but common to all is a critical reduction in cerebral blood flow, resulting in a focal neurological deficit. Functional imaging, particularly of cerebral perfusion, should therefore have a major role to play in the management of these patients. SPECT methods are of high importance in the diagnosis of CVD and in the patients follow-up.