Resting-State Metabolism of Hand Knob Area on (18)F-FDG PET-CT According to Hand Function and Tractography of Corticospinal Tract After Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the resting metabolism of hand knob and hand function after stroke, diffuse tensor tractography (DTT) and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose position emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) were used to evaluate constructible state of white matter tract and metabolic state of gray matter, respectively.

METHODS: A total of 17 patients were included in the study, who had suffered a stroke with hand weakness, after a stroke. They underwent diffusion tensor analysis and FDG PET in the subacute period. The ratio of both hemisphere parameters in voxel number of fibers, fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient obtained by corticospinal tract as constructed by DTT, and the metabolism of hand knob area on cerebral cortex obtained from (18)F-FDG PET were calculated. Hand movement scale was evaluated on the day of FDG PET or tractography, and at 6 months after onset.

RESULTS: Difference of FA in DTT between both hemispheres and hand knob metabolism in FDG PET significantly correlated with the hand movement scale at the subacute stage and 6 months after onset. However, the difference of both hemispheres in DTT and metabolism of hand knob area was not significant.

CONCLUSION: Resting metabolism on hand knob in FDG PET correlated with hand function after stroke.