Positron emission tomography scanning in essential blepharospasm.
OBJECTIVE
To localize in the brain using positron emission tomography neuroimaging with (18)fluorodeoxyglucose [PET ((18)FDG)] differences in glucose metabolism between patients with essential blepharospasm (EB) and controls.


METHODS
Prospective case-control study.


METHODS
Positron emission tomography neuroimaging with (18)fluorodeoxyglucose was performed in 11 patients with EB and 11 controls matched for age and gender. Global analysis of images was used to localize differences in glucose metabolism between groups.


RESULTS
Multiple cortical and subcortical abnormalities were observed in EB patients in comparison with controls. Cortical areas with the largest and most significant clusters of increased glucose uptake were the inferior frontal gyri, right posterior cingulate gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, fusiform gyrus of the right temporal lobe, and left anterior cingulate gyrus. Cortical areas with the largest and most significant clusters of decreased glucose uptake were the inferior frontal gyri, ventral to the area of increased glucose metabolism. Subcortical abnormalities, consisting of increased glucose uptake, involved the right caudate and consisting of decreased glucose uptake, involved the left inferior cerebellar hemisphere and thalamus.


CONCLUSIONS
Global analysis of positron emission tomography neuroimaging with (18)fluorodeoxyglucose neuroimaging in EB patients in comparison with controls demonstrates a pattern of abnormalities involving several cortical and subcortical areas that control blinking, including the inferior frontal lobe, caudate, thalamus, and cerebellum.
Department of Ophthalmology, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Lackland, Texas, USA. jkerrisl@jhmi.edu
John B
JB
Kerrison
Jack L
JL
Lancaster
Frank E
FE
Zamarripa
Londe A
LA
Richardson
John C
JC
Morrison
David E E
DE
Holck
Kurt W
KW
Andreason
Sean M
SM
Blaydon
Peter T
PT
Fox
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001764:Blepharospasm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose