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Review
. 2014 Apr;9(2):129-40.
doi: 10.1016/j.cpet.2013.10.006.

Brain: normal variations and benign findings in fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/computed tomography imaging

Valentina Berti, Lisa Mosconi, Alberto Pupi
Review

Brain: normal variations and benign findings in fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/computed tomography imaging

Valentina Berti et al. PET Clin. 2014 Apr.

Abstract

Brain 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET allows the in vivo study of cerebral glucose metabolism, reflecting neuronal and synaptic activity. 18F-FDG-PET has been extensively used to detect metabolic alterations in several neurologic diseases compared with normal aging. However, healthy subjects have variants of 18F-FDG distribution, especially as associated with aging. This article focuses on 18F-FDG-PET findings in so-called normal brain aging, and in particular on metabolic differences occurring with aging and as a function of people’s gender. The effect of different substances, medications, and therapy procedures are discussed, as well as common artifacts.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
18F-FDG PET images oriented along AC-PC line and temporal long axis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
18F-FDG PET of a normal subject. A, B, C: transaxial plane, showing higher 18F-FDG uptake in basal ganglia, frontal eye fields, posterior cingulate and visual cortices. D: sagittal plane. E: coronal plane, showing lower 18F-FDG activity in temporal lobes, particularly in medial temporal cortex, as compared to the other regions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Age-related metabolic reductions in 3 cognitively normal subjects. A: 80 year-old subject, demonstrating prefrontal and superior parietal hypometabolism with sparing of primary sensory-motor cortices. B: 76 year-old subject, showing mild hypometabolism in anterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal regions and insula. C: 82 year-old subject, demonstrating hypometabolism involving anterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal regions and insula.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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