Dynamic 18 F-FDG PET to detect differences among patients with progressive and relapsing multiple sclerosis: a pilot...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Nuclear Medicine
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) presents as relapsing-remitting (RRMS) or secondary progressive (SPMS) forms.
• Chronic inflammation and altered blood-brain barrier function in MS may impact glucose metabolism.
• Positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) with 2-deoxy-2(18F)fluoro-d-glucose (18F-FDG) assesses glucose metabolism but hasn't been studied in MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate glucose distribution kinetics differences between long-standing SPMS and RRMS using dynamic 18F-FDG PET-MRI.
• To explore the potential of dynamic 18F-FDG PET-MRI as a tool for understanding MS pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

• Dynamic 18F-FDG PET-MRI scans were performed on 11 patients with long-standing MS (4 RRMS, 7 SPMS).
• Kinetic analysis utilized a three-compartment model to calculate individual rate constants for 18F-FDG.
• This method quantures glucose uptake and phosphorylation dynamics.

Main Results:

• Patients with SPMS showed a trend towards increased net glucose influx rate (p=0.059).
• SPMS patients also exhibited an increased rate constant for glucose phosphorylation.
• These findings suggest heightened glucose uptake and glycolysis in SPMS.

Conclusions:

• Dynamic 18F-FDG PET-MRI is a feasible method for in vivo glucose metabolism assessment in MS.
• Preliminary results indicate a potential radiological marker for MS progression.
• Further research is necessary to validate these findings and their clinical implications.