Children treated for epileptic encephalopathies show improved glucose metabolism.
Epileptic neurological disorders in infants are often difficult to distinguish, and call for disparate treatments. Positron emission tomography (PET) using an [18F] fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18FDG) tracer, is a powerful non-invasive technique successful in improving the diagnosis of a number of conditions. Interestingly, this technique has shown that cerebral glucose hypometabolism is present in children with epileptic encephalopathies (EE). Ten children with age-dependent EE were recruited and routine 18FDG PET images were evaluated for their ability to indicate cerebral glucose metabolism both before and after anti-epileptic treatment. We found that there is diffuse glucose hypometabolism in both hemispheres before treatment, indicating EE. Following treatment, the number of epileptic episodes significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while cerebral glucose metabolism improved. Our findings suggest that 18FDG PET can be utilized to monitor cerebral glucose metabolism as a measure of treatment progress in EE.
Zhai
Qiongxiang
Q
Department of Pediatrics, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangzhou, China. zqx1096@yahoo.com.cn
Gui
Juan
J
Zhang
Yuxin
Y
Qiao
Huixian
H
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D065768:Lennox Gastaut Syndrome; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18