F-18 FDG PET imaging of chronic traumatic brain injury in boxers: a statistical parametric analysis.
OBJECTIVE
The participation in concussive susceptible sports such as boxing may cause chronic traumatic brain injury. The objective of this study was to determine whether there are unique patterns of reduced brain glucose metabolism in professional and amateur boxers.


METHODS
We compared the fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) PET brain scans of boxers (group) (N=19) with those of controls (group) (N=7) using both statistical parametric mapping and region of interest analysis.


RESULTS
Boxers showed decreased F-18 FDG uptake by 8-15% in the following brain areas: posterior cingulate cortex, parieto-occipito, frontal lobes (Broca's area) bilaterally, and the cerebellum (P<0.005) as compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that F-18 FDG PET scans of boxers suspected of chronic traumatic brain injury show unique patterns of hypometabolism, and that these patterns may reflect the mechanisms of repeated traumatic brain injury unique to boxers.
Provenzano
Frank Anthony
FA
Taub Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York 10032, USA. fap2005@columbia.edu
Jordan
Barry
B
Tikofsky
Ronald S
RS
Saxena
Chitra
C
Van Heertum
Ronald L
RL
Ichise
Masanori
M
D000328:Adult; D001914:Boxing / Q000293:injuries*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18