title: Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography findings in a patient with cerebellar mutism after operation in posterior fossa.
abstract: Cerebellar mutism is a transient period of speechlessness that evolves after posterior fossa surgery in children. Although direct cerebellar and brain stem injury and supratentorial dysfunction have been implicated in the mediation of mutism, the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the evolution of this kind of mutism remain unclear. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed dentatothalamocortical tract injuries and single photon emission computed tomography showed cerebellar and cerebral hypoperfusion in patients with cerebellar mutism. However, findings with18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in this group of patients have not been documented previously. In this clinical case, we report a patient who experienced cerebellar mutism after undergoing a posterior fossa surgery. Right cerebellar and left frontal lobe hypometabolism was shown using FDG PET/CT. The FDG metabolism of both the cerebellum and the frontal lobe returned to normal levels after the resolution of the mutism symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: goncakara@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gonca Kara
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Gedik
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Köktekir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akdemir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009155:Mutism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: FDG; PET/CT; cerebellum; mutism