Change in striatal metabolism in diabetic haemichorea-haemiballism

We studied metabolic changes in relation to chorea in two patients with diabetic haemichorea-haemiballism using positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose. Metabolism of the striatum and globus pallidus did not change in the acute choreic stage, but it decreased in the later stage after the amelioration of chorea. Striatal and pallildal hypometabolism in the late stage in diabetic haemichorea-haemiballism may reflect tissue ischaemia with gliosis. Previous studies have demonstrated striatal hypometabolism in neurodegenerative choreic disorders and striatal hypermetabolism in acute inflammatory choreic disorders. Previous findings as well as our results suggest that striatal and pallidal metabolic changes may be correlated with histological changes more than with functional changes relevant to chorea.