title: (18)F-FDG uptake of the spinal cord was decreased after conventional dose radiotherapy in esophageal cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We retrospectively investigated changes of (18)F-fluorodeocyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake in the spinal cord, inside and outside the radiation fields, in patients with esophageal cancer before and after conventional dose radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 17 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer (16 males, one female; age 50-83 years, mean 67.0 years), who underwent conventional dose radiotherapy and (18)F-FDG PET/CT before and 5.1 months (range 1.6-8.6 months) after the radiotherapy, were retrospectively evaluated. Sixteen patients had esophageal cancer and one patient had esophageal metastasis from thyroid cancer. Mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) of the cervical, thoracic (inside and outside the radiation fields) and lumbar spinal cord were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SUVmean of the thoracic spinal cord inside the radiation field was decreased significantly after radiotherapy compared to those before radiotherapy (p < 0.001). SUVmean of the cervical spinal cord showed the same trend but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.051). SUVmean of the thoracic spinal cord outside the radiation field and the lumbar spinal cord did not differ significantly before and after the radiotherapy (p = 0.146 and p = 0.701, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that glucose metabolism of the spinal cord is decreased in esophageal cancer patients after conventional dose radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima 1-5-45, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan. hrtnmrad@tmd.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harata
authors.affiliation: PET Imaging Center, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Sayako
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oota
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hayahiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isogai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima 1-5-45, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001692:Biological Transport; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: 18F-FDG; Positron emission tomography; Radiotherapy; Spinal cord