A Case of Cerebral Sparganosis: Technetium-99m-ECD Brain SPECT experience

ABSTRACT

Cerebral sparganosis is a rare intracranial parasitic infectious disease. The best treatment seems to be the surgical removal of the worm and granuloma. However, it has not been proved possible to determine whether the worm is dead or alive by a single Brain CT or MRI findings. We report clinical and technetium-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) cerebral perfusion SPECT findings in a case with 57-year-old cerebral sparganosis patient. During 3 years of follow-up, the patient did not have any newly developed neurological signs. Follow-up serum/CSF ELISA tests for sparganosis were positive and the worm was presumed to be in a dormant stage. Cerebral perfusion SPECT showed an irregular shaped area with decreased 99mTc-ECD uptake. The brain SPECT findings in our patient could not be exactly explained with the worm 's natural history. However, the brain SPECT may be helpful in determining the treatment of newly diagnosed cerebral sparganosis patients.