Probable cerebellar abnormality on 123I-IMP SPECT scans in epileptic patients with long-term high-dose phenytoin therapy. Based on observation of multiple cases.

Abstract

Quantitative assessment of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the bilateral cerebral and cerebellar cortices was performed in 13 epileptic patients receiving long-term high-dose phenytoin (PHT) therapy, using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-(iodine 123) p-iodoamphetamine. In 4 of the 13 patients, both the cerebellar to frontal rCBF ratio and cerebellar to cerebral rCBF ratio showed low values as compared with those in 22 normal subjects matched for sex and age, probably reflecting abnormal relative cerebellar hypoperfusion. None of the 4 patients showed any abnormal findings on X-ray computed tomography or magnetic resonance brain imaging. The patients with a history of acute PHT intoxication tended to show the abnormal relative cerebellar hypoperfusion. These results suggest the utility of SPECT scans for early detection of cerebellar abnormalities known to be often present in epileptic patients, and imply a risk of long-term high-dose PHT therapy.