Examination of 11C-methionine metabolism by the standardized uptake value in the normal brain of children.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to determine the uptake of L-[methyl-(11)C]-methionine ((11)C-MET) in the normal brain of patients younger than 20 y, to facilitate more accurate diagnoses in young patients.

METHODS

Eighty-two patients were categorized into 4 groups according to their age. They underwent (11)C-MET PET, and a standardized uptake value (SUV) was determined for different brain regions including the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, cerebellum, and brain stem.

RESULTS

Compared with all other parts of the brain, the cerebellum had the highest SUV. A tendency for a positive relationship between SUV and age was found in all regions, and a significant relationship with SUV was found in the frontal lobe and cerebellum.

CONCLUSION

The character of SUV in the normal brains of children is different from that of adults, and these normal SUV data will play an important role as a critical reference value.