[Visualized study on acupuncture treatment of children autism using single photon emission computed tomography]

OBJECTIVE: To provide the molecular iconographic evidence for acupuncture treatment of children autism (CA). METHODS: Electric acupuncture (EA) was applied on acupoints of bilateral Hegu (LI4), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) in 34 CA patients\' with ABC scale > 57 scores. Using SIEMENS ECAM / ICON double head system, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain perfusion imaging were performed before and during EA with 99mTc-ECD. Then SPECT images were analyzed visually and quantitatively. RESULTS: Visual analysis showed that 114 foci of low cerebral perfusion and function were found in 34 CA patients before EA, 28 cases (82.35%) of them with abnormalities in left (or both) front lobes, left Broca area and left Wernicke area. During EA, the affected areas improved to different extent. Quantitative analysis showed that significant difference existed between pre-EA focal Ff and mirror-side Ff, pre-EA Ff and mid-EA Fe, focal BFCR% and mirror-side BFCR % (all P < 0.01). The improving analysis of cerebral perfusion and function showed that the efficacy of EA was 78.95%. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture was proved preliminarily effective in treating children autism.