RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Feasibility of 18F-FDG PET as a Noninvasive Diagnostic Tool of Muscle Denervation: A Preliminary Study JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 1737 OP 1740 DO 10.2967/jnumed.114.140731 VO 55 IS 10 A1 Seung Hak Lee A1 Byung-Mo Oh A1 Gangpyo Lee A1 Hongyoon Choi A1 Gi Jeong Cheon A1 Shi-Uk Lee YR 2014 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/55/10/1737.abstract AB The purpose of this study was to confirm glucose hypermetabolism in denervated muscle and investigate the feasibility of 18F-FDG PET scanning for the detection of muscle denervation. Method: A sciatic neuropathy model in rats was created by nerve resection of the left sciatic nerve and sham operation on the other side. Eight days after denervation, small-animal PET/CT scans of the hindlimbs were acquired. Muscle denervation was confirmed by electrophysiologic and histologic study. Results: All rats showed increased 18F-FDG uptake in the muscles of the left (denervated) lower legs. The calculated maximum lesion-to-normal counts ratio of the left lower leg anterolateral (left, 11.02 ± 2.08; right, 1.81 ± 0.40, n = 6, P < 0.01) and posterior (left, 9.81 ± 4.58; right, 1.87 ± 0.44, n = 6, P < 0.01) compartment were significantly increased. The electrophysiologic and histologic study verified muscle denervation. Conclusion: Glucose hypermetabolism in muscle denervation is an obvious phenomenon. 18F-FDG PET scanning can be used to visualize muscle denervation.