PET-CT of the normal spinal cord in children.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between age and spinal cord metabolic activity in children using positron emission tomography-computed tomography.


METHODS
The cohort included 128 children imaged from January 2003 through April 2007, excluding those with spinal disease. Using axial images, the fluorodeoxyglucose activity in the pons and three cervical, three thoracic, and two lumbar spinal cord levels was subjectively graded as minimal, moderate, or intense. From regions of interest at each level, the maximum standardized uptake value was determined. Patients were grouped by age: group 1, <5 years; group 2, > or =5 to <10 years; group 3, > or =10 to <15 years; and group 4, > or =15 to <22 years. Subjective grade and standardized uptake values were compared at each level and for each level between age groups. The alpha level was set at 0.0046 on the basis of Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons.


RESULTS
There were 16 patients in group 1, 19 in group 2, 33 in group 3, and 60 in group 4. Subjective grades and standardized uptake values were higher in the pons, midcervical, and low thoracic areas than elsewhere in all age groups. Subjective grades significantly increased with age in the cervical and thoracic cord (P < .0005). Standardized uptake values in the pons and all cord levels significantly increased with increasing age (P < or = .0008).


CONCLUSIONS
In children, the metabolic activity of the spinal cord increases with age. On positron emission tomography, the cord can appear intensely avid in the midcervical and low thoracic areas.
Department of Radiological Sciences, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. beth.mccarville@stjude.org
M Beth
MB
McCarville
Nicholas
N
Monu
Matthew P
MP
Smeltzer
Chin-Shang
CS
Li
Fred H
FH
Laningham
E Brannon
EB
Morris
Barry L
BL
Shulkin
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18