PET STUDY OF CEREBRAL GLUCOSE-METABOLISM AND FLUORODOPA UPTAKE IN PATIENTS WITH CORTICOBASAL DEGENERATION

We measured cerebral glucose utilization and fluorodopa metabolism in the brain of patients with corticobasal degeneration using positron em ission tomography. The clinical pictures are distinctive, comprising f eatures referable to both cerebral cortical and basal ganglionic dysfu nctions. Brain images of glucose metabolism can demonstrate specific a bnormalities with a marked asymmetry in the parietal cortex (the prima ry motor and sensory cortex and the lateral parietal cortex), the thal amus, the caudate nucleus and the putamen of the dominantly affected h emisphere related to clinical symptoms in six patients. [F-18]dopa upt ake also reduced in an asymmetric pattern, both the caudate nucleus an d the putamen in four patients. This unique combination study measurin g both cerebral glucose utilization and fluorodopa metabolism in the n igrostriatal system can provide efficient information about the dysfun ctions which are correlated with individual clinical symptoms.