A 13-year-old boy with cervical kyphosis was diagnosed as having juvenile A
lexander disease because of the typical MRI findings, abnormally elevated a
lpha B-crystallin and heat shock protein 27 in the cerebrospinal fluid. Pos
itron emission tomography with F-18-fluoro-deoxyglucose demonstrated hypome
tabolism in the frontal white matter corresponding to the areas with leukod
ystrophy. However, the overlying gray matter preserved normal glucose metab
olism. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.