PET imaging of cerebral metabolic change in tinnitus using ¹⁸F-FDG

PET imaging of cerebral metabolic change in tinnitus using 18 F-FDG 1 first-author 1 1 1 1 1 1 The PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 The PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 Tinnitus is an auditory disorder hardly assessable by clinical technology. PET imaging of the brain in 13 cases with and 10 without tinnitus was undertaken at 40 min after injection of 280~440 MBq 18 F-FDG. To ensure the quality of the PET study, all cases followed a normalized procedure with visual and auditory blockage. CT/MRI imaging and routine acoustic tests were carried out in all subjects. PET revealed that an increased uptake of 18 F-FDG at left med-temporal lobe (primary auditory center, PAC) present exclusively in tinnitus, regardless the side of hearing hallucination. Significant asymmetry was noted between left and right PAC, but not at other cortex area. While control cases showed no asymmetric uptake between two hemispheres. The abnormal PAC uptake did not respond to external pure sound stimulus, nor did it relate to the severity of hearing loss assessed by acoustic tests. No anatomical or morphological alteration could be proven on CT/MRI. In conclusion, PET/ 18 F-FDG objectively revealed an increased metabolic change at left PAC in tinnitus, which is of diagnostic value; and there is evidence suggesting tinnitus is most likely induced by a functional change in the brain. PET/F18-FDG functional imaging Tinnitus Cerebral metabolism References Phelps M E . J Nucl Med , 2000 , 41 : 661 J Nucl Med Ito J , Sakakibara J . Laryngoscope , 1994 , 104 : 752 Laryngoscope Soussi T , Otto S R . Acta Otorhinolary . 1994 , 114 : 135 Acta Otorhinolary Arnold W , Bartenstein P , Romer W et al . OPL , 1996 , 58 : 195 OPL Mirz F , Pedersen C B , Isizu K et al . Hear Res , 1999 , 134 : 133 Hear Res R817.4, R814.4, R764.45 2000-07-11 2000-11-01 2021-02-05 2000 Nuclear Science and Techniques 4 11