Can you name a medical profession that prescribes medication or treatment without looking at the organ it treats?
Psychiatry is the unfortunate answer, but here at Amen Clinics we’re changing that.
Why SPECT Imaging?
A study titled “Specific Ways Brain SPECT Imaging Enhances Clinical Psychiatric Practice” was published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, an authoritative peer-reviewed periodical containing timely information of a multidisciplinary nature for clinicians and other professionals in the drug abuse field.
The study revealed how brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging can help clinicians more accurately diagnose and treat a wide variety of mental conditions by looking at the organ responsible for the decision-making, behaviors and overall cognitive functioning.
Co-authored by Dr. Amen, Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D. and Joseph Annibali, M.D., the study asked seven board certified psychiatrists to evaluate 109 patients’ files—without the SPECT images—and give their professional diagnosis and recommended treatment.
After they saw the SPECT scans:
1. 79% of the diagnosis and/or treatment would have been different.
2. 22% of the patients showed unexpected brain injury and toxicity.
3. 60% showed new targets for medication or supplements.
What SPECT Tells Us
The SPECT images help the clinician understand where the brain is not functioning properly so they can give a more accurate diagnosis and treatment offering. In our study, the use of SPECT neuroimaging modified the diagnostic thinking and led clinicians to make different, specific treatment recommendations in a high percentage of cases.
Brain SPECT imaging is a form of neuroimaging that reveals the underlying physiology of emotional, behavioral and
cognitive disorders such as:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• ADD
• Memory loss
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Addiction
• Autism
• Seizures
• Strokes
• Toxic exposure
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
There are many ways to optimize your brain and your mind. You CAN create a brain healthy life by learning how to love and care for your brain.
We Can Help
If you, or someone you love, could benefit from an evaluation at Amen Clinics, call our brain health advisors today at 888-288-9834 or
tell us more online.
