Computed tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography as diagnostic tools in acquired brain injury among children and adolescents.

Twenty children with acquired brain injuries were investigated with CT and SPECT. The findings were related to the clinical outcome judged at discharge following acute care after the injury and at follow-up 5 years later. The abnormalities that were found were classified for each lobe on a scale ranging from 0 (normal) to 5 (severe abnormality). The patients were divided into two groups showing mild and severe injury. CT and SPECT revealed similar results in the patients with severe injury, but in the group of mildly injured children the number of affected lobes and scores indicated by SPECT were significantly higher than those indicated by CT. SPECT also differentiated more effectively between the two outcome groups. This supports the hypothesis that SPECT could be used as an instrument to objectivise minor sequelae and that SPECT and CT are both useful methods for forecasting outcome.