title: Relationship between a chronically painful trapezius muscle and its metabolic state analyzed with PET/CT.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Nobuya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasai
authors.forename: Mitsumasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Glenn T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuboki
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose