Relationship between a chronically painful trapezius muscle and its metabolic state analyzed with PET/CT.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the intramuscular metabolic state in chronically painful muscles using positron-emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT).


METHODS
The study included 140 consecutive noncancer subjects who underwent PET/CT screening for a physical checkup (mean age 56.0 +/- 10.22 y). The demographic data and information on pain in the neck/shoulder region were obtained using a questionnaire. The subjects who had an awareness of pain in the neck/shoulder region for >6 months were regarded to be pain subjects (n = 39). The minimal and maximal standardized uptake values (SUV) of [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) of the trapezius muscle in each subject were automatically calculated.


RESULTS
The unpaired t test revealed that both the minimal and the maximal SUVs were significantly lower in the pain subjects than in the asymptomatic subjects. A multiple linear regression analysis also demonstrated a significant association between pain in the neck/shoulder region and the SUVs in the trapezius muscle.


CONCLUSIONS
Uptake of (18)F-FDG was lower in the chronically painful trapezius muscle.
Takiguchi
Satoru
S
Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
Maekawa
Kenji
K
Ono
Tsuyoshi
T
Sasai
Nobuya
N
Kaji
Mitsumasa
M
Clark
Glenn T
GT
Kuboki
Takuo
T
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002081:Buttocks; D002908:Chronic Disease; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000378:metabolism*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012540:Scapula; D012737:Sex Factors; D012782:Shoulder; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose