Characteristics of chronic alcohol-related brain damage from 18F-FDG PET-CT findings

Abstract

Objective \nTo analyze the characteristics of alcohol-related brain damage according to 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose (18F-FDG) position emission tomography-computer tomography (PET-CT). \n \n \nMethods \nExcessive alcohol consumption patients accepted 18F-FDG PET-CT in our hospital from August 2016 to November 2018 were chosen as excessive alcohol consumption group and non-drinking patients accepted 18F-FDG PET-CT in our hospital at the same time were chosen as non-drinking group according to 1:4 ratio. The 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging data were analyzed; the characteristics of abnormal changed rate of CT sequences after stratification by age and the relations of alcohol consumption with abnormal CT sequences and PET sequences were compared between the two groups. \n \n \nResults \nA total of 52 patients with excessive alcohol consumption and 200 non-drinking patients were chosen. Among patients aged 45-59 years, the abnormal changed rate of CT sequences in the excessive alcohol consumption group was significantly higher than that in the non-drinking group (P<0.05). In the CT sequences, 33 patients in the 2 groups presented abnormalities, mainly including cerebral atrophy and lacunar infarction. In the PET sequences, 62 patients in the two groups presented abnormalities, mainly manifesting as reduced metabolism level of bilateral frontal and parietal lobes. Among the 52 patients from excessive alcohol consumption group, those with abnormal CT sequences were older, had longer drinking history and had higher total drinking amount than those with normal CT sequences, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). As compared with those in patients with normal PET sequences, those with abnormal PET sequences had higher weekly and total alcohol consumption, and longer drinking history, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). \n \n \nConclusion \nExcessive alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for structural damages in middle-aged men, which can cause a decrease of glucose metabolism level in the frontal and parietal lobes. \n \n \nKey words: \nExcessive drinking;\xa0Brain damage;\xa0Age;\xa0Position emission tomography-computer tomography