Spect Brain Perfusion Studies Using N-Isopropyl I-123 P-Iodoamphetamine (IMP)

Positron emission computed tomography has graphically demonstrated changes in regional brain physiology in patients whose transmission CT scans show normal anatomy. These results have stimulated interest in single-photon techniques that can have widespread distribution throughout the medical community (1). N-isopropyl 1-123 p-iodoamphetamine (IMP), developed by Winchell and colleagues (2), is a single-photon radiopharmaceutical that penetrates the normal blood brain barrier due to its lipophilic form. Initial distribution of IMP has been correlated to the regional cerebral blood flow (3).