Reduced F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake within marrow after external beam radiation.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined the delayed effects of external beam radiation on the metabolism of intravertebral marrow cavities.


METHODS
Two neurologically normal persons who had completed a full course of external beam radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck had positron emission tomography (PET) scans with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to identify residual neoplasm.


RESULTS
Abnormally low uptake of F-18 FDG was noted within the central marrow cavities of the cervical vertebral bodies in both cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Diminished metabolic activity within irradiated marrow can be revealed by F-18 FDG PET imaging techniques. Further correlative MRI PET studies are needed to determine if this postradiation phenomenon is related to fatty infiltration of the marrow cavity.
Meyer
M A
MA
Department of Neurology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia 65212, USA. MeyerMA@health.missouri.edu
Nathan
C A
CO
D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18