Hypometabolism Activity in Brain PET Scan

What Is Hypometabolic Activity? Hypometabolism is defined as the physiological state of having decreased metabolic rate, which is abnormal.

What Is Hypometabolic Activity?

Hypometabolism is defined as the physiological state of having decreased metabolic rate, which is abnormal.

How does PET scan work and how is hypometabolism seen on PET scan?

Before the actual scanning and imaging part of PET scan takes place, a radiotracer is injected into the body and the patient has to wait for 1-2 hours after being injected with radiotracer.

Radiotracer – it is radio labeled sugar (glucose) which helps in identification areas of hypermetabolic activity as well as areas of low metabolic activity in the body.

The extent of uptake is viewed in different colors in PET scan. If the brain glucose uptake is decreased due to some reason, it is called as hypometabolic state of brain.

Hypometabolism is a common finding or feature of most neurodegenerative disorders.

18 F-FDG PET scan helps in study of brain glucose metabolism which reflects neuronal and synaptic activity.

What Does Hypometabolic Activity Mean on Brain Pet Scan?

Hypometabolic activity on brain PET scan can be an indication of the following:

Hypometabolic brain lesion
Healthy ageing
Dementia
Parkinson’s disease
Cognitive impairment
Alzheimer’s disease
Encephalitis
Epilepsy

What Risks Are Involved in Getting Pet Scan?

PET scan is a safe procedure if performed properly by taking all safety precautions.

Radiations –

Exposure to radiations is considered harmful, however, in any standard PET scan, the amount of radiations you are exposed to is not capable of causing harm.

Radiotracer –

The radiotracer (FDG) that is injected is flushed out of the body within a few days. The radiotracer also becomes less radioactive with time.

Anaphylaxis due to radiotracer –

In rare cases, people who are allergic to certain types of radiotracers, develop allergic symptoms after the radiotracer is injected into the body.

Pregnancy –

Fetus is developing and has more sensitivity to radiations than adults. If you are pregnant, let your healthcare professional know about it, as the radiations might pose risk to the fetus.

Medical history –

Let your doctor know about the following:

Your medical history (if you are suffering from liver or kidney disorders)
Medications you are taking
Provide information regarding number of times you have you gone through any nuclear medicine diagnostic before, such as PET scan, MRI, CT scan, etc.

Your doctor will assess your risk factor and weigh it against the need for using nuclear medicine techniques for correct diagnosis.