Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 26, 2026
![PET/CT With [68Ga]-NOTA-FAP-2286 for Imaging of Tendon Injuries in Rat Achilles Tendon Injury Models](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F67717.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
PET/CT With [68Ga]-NOTA-FAP-2286 for Imaging of Tendon Injuries in Rat Achilles Tendon Injury Models
Published on: June 6, 2025
Feasibility of 18F-FDG PET as a noninvasive diagnostic tool of muscle denervation: a preliminary study
Seung Hak Lee1, Byung-Mo Oh2, Gangpyo Lee1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea shiuk.lee@gmail.com.
Unlabelled:
The purpose of this study was to confirm glucose hypermetabolism in denervated muscle and investigate the feasibility of (18)F-FDG PET scanning for the detection of muscle denervation.
Method:
A sciatic neuropathy model in rats was created by nerve resection of the left sciatic nerve and sham operation on the other side. Eight days after denervation, small-animal PET/CT scans of the hindlimbs were acquired. Muscle denervation was confirmed by electrophysiologic and histologic study.
Results:
All rats showed increased (18)F-FDG uptake in the muscles of the left (denervated) lower legs. The calculated maximum lesion-to-normal counts ratio of the left lower leg anterolateral (left, 11.02 ± 2.08; right, 1.81 ± 0.40, n = 6, P < 0.01) and posterior (left, 9.81 ± 4.58; right, 1.87 ± 0.44, n = 6, P < 0.01) compartment were significantly increased. The electrophysiologic and histologic study verified muscle denervation.
Conclusion:
Glucose hypermetabolism in muscle denervation is an obvious phenomenon. (18)F-FDG PET scanning can be used to visualize muscle denervation.

