title: Changes of positron emission tomography in newborn infants at different gestational ages, and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
abstract: Cerebral glucose metabolism was measured by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose position emission tomography in infants at different gestational ages and with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Thirty-six preterm and term infants at different gestational ages without brain injury were divided into four subgroups: ≤32 weeks (n = 4), 33-34 weeks (n = 5), 35-36 weeks (n = 12), and ≥37 weeks (n = 15). Twenty-four newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were divided into three subgroups: mild (n = 13), moderate (n = 7), and severe (n = 4). Cerebral glucose metabolism manifested a trend toward increase, and the structure of cranial (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images became clear with increased gestational age, especially at ≥37 weeks. Uptakes of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose in the ≥37-week group were significantly higher than in the ≤32-week group (P < 0.01). Cerebral glucose metabolism changed significantly in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and was either unbalanced bilaterally or relatively low at all sites. Moreover, uptakes of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose were significantly lower in severe than in mild and medium hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (P < 0.05). Cerebral glucose metabolism, as measured by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, may prove useful for estimating brain development and injury in newborn infants, and its clinical values need further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jin-Ning
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhang-Xue
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shi-Fang
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rong-Bin
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging