[HMPAO-SPECT during carotid artery compression (Matas test) in the evaluation of cervical tumor surgery with potential carotid involvement]. / HMPAO-SPECT unter Karotiskompression (Matas-Test) in der Diagnostik vor zervikalen Tumoreingriffen mit möglicher Karotisbeteiligung.

ABSTRACT

For planning the surgical approach in patients with head and neck tumours and extensive cervical metastasis the evaluation of possible vascular involvement is necessary. If the carotid artery is suspected to be infiltrated by the tumour masses its resection or plastic substitute becomes sometimes inevitable. For evaluation of the collateral brain perfusion before a possibly necessary carotid resection we examined 10 patients with neck tumours performing the Matas-Test combined with HMPAO Single-Photon-Emission-Computed-Tomography. During ultrasound-controlled manual compression of the involved common carotid artery 99mTc-labelled HMPAO was injected. The SPECT demonstrated the brain perfusion during the carotid compression time period. 6 patients showed a decreased perfusion of the affected hemisphere with - as far as obtained - normal baseline SPECT-results and balloon occlusion tests. 2 of these patients underwent a carotid artery resection, one of the common carotid artery and one of the internal carotid artery. One patient had a significant perfusion deficit in the SPECT but no pathologic findings in angiography and balloon occlusion test. He suffered from hemiparesis postoperatively. The other patient showed preoperatively a minor decrease in perfusion and had no neurological defects postoperatively. Our findings show that the Matas-Test combined with HMPAO-SPECT is a valuable tool for the preoperative evaluation of the collateral brain perfusion. This technique is not invasive and can be performed in every nuclear medicine department with an ECT camera. The HMPAO-SPECT during carotid compression can add useful information or even replace angiography and the balloon occlusion test.