Neuroimaging in infantile autism.
Published
Journal Article (Review)
Metabolic findings using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with positron emission tomography (PET) and correlative anatomic findings with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were characterized in 13 children with infantile autism. Four of 13 patients had both an abnormal FDG-PET and an abnormal MRI, whereas seven of 13 patients had both a normal FDG-PET and a normal CT or MRI. Sixteen of a total of 195 brain areas qualitatively examined with FDG-PET had a hypometabolic abnormality on PET. Three of the five abnormal structural imaging studies revealed neuronal migrational anomalies (focal pachygyria). In two of the five patients with anatomic abnormalities, these were noted only after knowledge of the FDG-PET findings. Our experience reveals that anatomic and metabolic abnormalities can be found in children who exhibit autistic behavior. An FDG-PET study may provide evidence of metabolic dysfunction after an initially unremarkable MRI scan because subtle anatomic abnormalities (as those seen with neuronal migrational anomalies) may be found only after knowledge of a regional metabolic abnormality.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Schifter, T; Hoffman, JM; Hatten, HP; Hanson, MW; Coleman, RE; DeLong, GR
Published Date
- April 1, 1994
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 9 / 2
Start / End Page
- 155 - 161
PubMed ID
- 8006366
Pubmed Central ID
- 8006366
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0883-0738
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1177/088307389400900210
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States