SPECT imaging in psychiatry. A review.

In the last two decades, brain imaging has become an integral part of clinical and research psychiatry. Single photon computed emission tomography (SPECT) is rapidly gaining acceptance as one of the major imaging techniques available, along with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). Each of these techniques has its assets and drawbacks. This review concerns SPECT, a highly prevalent imaging technique whose potential value in brain imaging has not been appreciated until recently. Its purpose is to expose practicing clinicians and research psychiatrists alike to the attributes of this instrument, which is available in most nuclear medicine departments today. An effort is made to provide a comprehensive account of this technique, including a brief summary of the basic principles, the various methods of its application, and recent findings in most psychiatric disorders. Analogies to its "aristocratic cousin," PET, are presented to emphasize similarities and differences. Finally, directions for future development and implementation of SPECT are suggested.