Non-ketotic hyperglycaemic chorea: a SPECT study.
OBJECTIVE
To study regional blood flow of the striatum in non-ketotic hyperglycaemic choreic patients.


METHODS
Brain SPECT was performed with intravenous injection of 20 mCi 99mTc hexamethylpropylene amineoxime in six non-ketotic hyperglycaemic choreic patients and 10 age matched patients with a similar level of hyperglycaemia without chorea as a control. The focal perfusion defects were analysed by visual interpretation and semiquantitative determination with reference to homolateral occipital blood flow.


RESULTS
The measured blood flow of striatum on the contralateral side of chorea was significantly decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypometabolism of the striatum is seen not only in Huntington's disease, but also in non-ketotic hyperglycaemic chorea. Hypofunction of the striatum is a possible common pathogenesis in the development of contralateral chorea in different diseases. Furthermore, the sensitivity and reliability of SPECT is as good as PET in assessing choreic patients.
Chang
M H
MH
Section of Neurology, Veterans General Hospital-Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Li
J Y
JY
Lee
S R
SR
Men
C Y
CY
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002819:Chorea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006944:Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime