Imaging of Acquired Demyelinating Syndrome With 18F-FDG PET/CT

Area of Science:

• Neuroimmunology
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) encompass conditions such as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and transverse myelitis (TM).
• These syndromes can manifest with diverse neurological deficits, including altered consciousness, motor weakness, and sphincter dysfunction.
• Progression to multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potential outcome for some patients with ADS.

Observation:

• F-FDG PET/CT imaging has been infrequently utilized for evaluating ADS.
• This report details two unique cases of ADS diagnosed and characterized using F-FDG PET/CT.
• The imaging findings in these cases provide insights into the metabolic activity within demyelinated lesions.

Findings:

• F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated characteristic patterns of tracer uptake in the central nervous system lesions of both patients.
• The imaging results correlated with the clinical presentation and neurological deficits observed in the cases.
• Specific patterns of F-FDG accumulation may help differentiate ADS from other inflammatory or demyelinating disorders.

Implications:

• F-FDG PET/CT offers a potential adjunctive imaging modality for the diagnosis and management of acquired demyelinating syndromes.
• Further research is warranted to establish the role of F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnostic algorithm for ADS.
• This imaging technique may aid in monitoring disease activity and treatment response in patients with demyelinating conditions.