Introduction: Nuclear medicine is dedicated to the detection and treatment using small quantities of radiopharmaceuticals. Typically, the radiation source is located inside the patient's body. Radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes are either dispersed in the body or are engineered to bind to specific biological processes. SPECT and CT are methods used in medicine for imaging the interior of the body and for detecting and analyzing functional processes. CT uses X-rays to display 3D images of the body with the radiation source located outside the patient's body, while SPECT detects gamma photons by special gamma cameras from radiopharmaceuticals to visualize functional processes. Hybrid SPECT/CT therefore combines both functional and anatomical data and provides a better and more accurate view of possible pathological changes. SPECT/CT used to be left behind by other diagnostics, but in recent years major advances in technology and radiopharmaceuticals have contributed to its increased clinical use. Purpose: The purpose is to present the clinical use of SPECT/CT by comparing literature between 2010 and 2024 and to identify any concordances or discrepancies in specific areas. Methods: We used a descriptive method with a systematic literature review. All sources were searched in professional databases available on the internet. The literature was collected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results. Seven articles were selected, analysed and compared with each other according to the characteristics of the sample, or those that met the purpose of the study. Discussion and conclusion: Hybrid SPECT/CT imaging is crucial for accurate diagnosis in different clinical situations, allowing better localisation and differentiation of benign and malignant lesions, and has a higher specificity than SPECT and CT alone. The method also allows the correction of attenuation based on CT numbers, which has a significant impact on the course and treatment outcomes of various diseases. SPECT/CT has a wide application in oncology, showing malignant lesions and metastases. In addition, the method is also useful in many other non-oncological disease states. Despite the advances in PET/CT, SPECT/CT is still and will continue to be an important part of nuclear medicine as technology and radiopharmaceuticals advance rapidly. SPECT/CT contributes to increased diagnostic accuracy, optimised and better treatment outcomes. Despite the dose burden, it is clear that the utility of this technology is in many cases more important than the potential radiation damage.
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