F-18-FDG PET/MRI Can Be Used to Identify Injured Peripheral Nerves in a Model of Neuropathic Pain JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE Behera, D., Jacobs, K. E., Behera, S., Rosenberg, J., Biswal, S. 2011; 52 (8): 1308-1312

Abstract

We demonstrated increased (18)F-FDG uptake in injured peripheral nerves in a model of neuropathic pain using small-animal PET/MRI.A neuropathic pain model in rats was created by spared-nerve injury of the left sciatic nerve. Sham-operated rats without nerve injury were used as a control. The presence of pain was confirmed by testing for allodynia. Sequential small-animal (18)F-FDG PET and MRI scans of the thighs were obtained and coregistered. Autoradiography was performed on harvested nerves and muscle.The group with spared-nerve injury showed the development of allodynia in the operated limb (P < 0.001). Increased (18)F-FDG uptake was observed on both PET/MRI (P < 0.001) and autoradiography (P < 0.005) in the operated nerve in this group. (18)F-FDG uptake in the nerves correlated well with allodynia (? = -0.59; P < 0.024).Animals with neuropathic pain show increased (18)F-FDG uptake in the affected nerve. Small-animal PET/MRI can be effectively used to localize (18)F-FDG uptake in peripheral nerves.

View details for DOI 10.2967/jnumed.110.084731

View details for Web of Science ID 000293336000047

View details for PubMedID 21764788