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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · World J Nucl Med 2021; 20(01): 82-89
DOI: 10.4103/wjnm.WJNM_53_18
Original Article

Visual versus semiquantitative analysis of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography brain images in patients with dementia

Ismet Sarikaya
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University
,
Walaa Kamel
1   Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Egypt; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait
2   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait
,
Khattab Ateyah
1   Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Egypt; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait
,
Nooraessa Essa
4   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait
,
Samira AlTailji
2   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ibn Sina Hospital, Kuwait
,
Ali Sarikaya
5   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
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Abstract

Various studies have reported to the superiority of semiquantitative (SQ) analysis over visual analysis in detecting metabolic changes in the brain. In this study, we aimed to determine the limitations of SQ analysis programs and the current status of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) scan in dementia. 18F-FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) brain images of 39 patients with a history of dementia were analyzed both visually and semiquantitatively. Using the visually markedly abnormal 18F-FDG-PET images as standard, we wanted to test the accuracy of two commercially available SQ analysis programs. SQ analysis results were classified as matching, partially matching and nonmatching with visually markedly abnormal studies. On visual analysis, 18F-FDG-PET showed marked regional hypometabolism in 19 patients, mild abnormalities in 8 and was normal in 12 patients. SQ analysis-1 results matched with visual analysis in 8 patients (42.1%) and partially matched in 11. SQ analysis-2 findings matched with visual analysis in 11 patients (57.8%) and partially matched in 7 and did not match in 1. Marked regional hypometabolism was either on the left side of the brain or was more significant on the left than the right in 63% of patients. Preservation of metabolism in sensorimotor cortex was seen in various dementia subtypes. Reviewing images in color scale and maximum intensity projection (MIP) image was helpful in demonstrating and displaying regional abnormalities, respectively. SQ analysis provides less accurate results as compared to visual analysis by experts. Due to suboptimal image registration and selection of brain areas, SQ analysis provides inaccurate results, particularly in small areas and areas in close proximity. Image registration and selection of areas with SQ programs should be checked carefully before reporting the results.

Keywords

Brain imaging - dementia - 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography - semiquantitative analysis - visual analysis

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.




Publication History

Received: 31 May 2018

Accepted: 19 July 2018

Article published online:
30 March 2022

© 2021. Sociedade Brasileira de Neurocirurgia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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