title: Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain in Fabry Disease: A Nationwide, Long-Time, Prospective Follow-Up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fabry disease is a rare metabolic glycosphingolipid storage disease caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A--leading to cellular accumulation of globotriasylceramide in different organs, vessels, tissues, and nerves. The disease is associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease at a young age in addition to heart and kidney failure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to assess brain function and structure in the Danish cohort of patients with Fabry disease in a prospective way using 18-fluoro-deoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with Fabry disease (14 males, 26 females, age at inclusion: 10-66 years, median: 39 years) underwent a brain F-18-FDG-PET-scan at inclusion, and 31 patients were followed with FDG-PET biannually for up to seven years. All patients (except one) had a brain MRI-scan at inclusion, and 34 patients were followed with MRI biannually for up to nine years.
  The FDG-PET-images were inspected visually and analysed using a quantitative 3-dimensional stereotactic surface projection analysis (Neurostat). MRI images were also inspected visually and severity of white matter lesions (WMLs) was graded using a visual rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 28 patients brain-FDG-PET was normal; in 23 of these 28 patients brain MRI was normal--of the remaining five patients in this group, four patients had WMLs and one patient never had an MRI-scan. In 10 patients hypometabolic areas were observed on brain-FDG-PET; all of these patients had cerebral infarcts/hemorrhages visualized on MRI corresponding to the main hypometabolic areas. In two patients brain-FDG-PET was ambiguous, while MRI was normal in one and abnormal in the other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicated that, in patients with Fabry disease, MRI is the preferable clinical modality--if applicable--when monitoring cerebral status, as no additional major brain-pathology was detected with FDG-PET.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korsholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Feldt-Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Granqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Liselotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Højgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bollinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Aase K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Law
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D000795:Fabry Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18