Single photon emission computed tomography in the identification of new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: case reports

New variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may be associated with exposure to the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. 1 Currently, a reliable diagnosis is possible only after neuropathological examination of the brain, which is risky for patients and diagnosticians. 2 The sensitivity and specificity of recently developed techniques are not known for new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and they are available only in highly specialised centres. 3 4 Single photon emission computed tomography is a readily available neuroimaging technique that uses intravenously administered radioactive ligands to map different aspects of brain function.