title: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron-Emission Tomography Findings with Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis that Showed Variable Degrees of Catatonia: Three Cases Report.
abstract: Catatonia is one of the main symptoms of anti-N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. However, it is unknown whether metabolic changes observed with (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) are correlated with the severity of the catatonic symptoms and clinical course. Three patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis showing variable degrees of catatonia were performed with FDG-PET scans during the acute and recovery phase. PET findings showed hypermetabolism in the frontotemporoparietal regions and bilateral basal ganglia in the patient with mild catatonia, but more widespread hypermetabolic regions including the thalamus and brainstem were observed in the patients with more severe catatonia. Follow-up PET scans in one patient showed mild hypermetabolism in the right basal ganglia that correlated with mild rigidity and tonic posturing in the left extremities. Extent of cerebral metabolic changes correlates with the severity of catatonia accompanied by behavioural, motor, autonomic, and breathing abnormalities in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan;
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Koo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jungsu S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Yoon
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Autoimmune encephalitis; Catatonia; Encephalitis; Metabolism; NMDA; PET