Speech-related visualization of laryngeal muscles with fluorine-18-FDG.

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED This study describes the physiological uptake of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) by the laryngeal muscles secondary to activation of the patient's vocal folds and related laryngeal muscles during speech. METHODS: Twenty-four patients undergoing routine PET scans were randomized into two groups to ascertain the relationship between FDG uptake in the laryngeal region and speech. One group was assigned to talk and the other group remained silent during the injection and uptake period of FDG. RESULTS: FDG uptake in the laryngeal muscles in the scans was correlated with speech. Patients who spoke continually during the uptake period had high-grade FDG uptake, those who spoke intermittently had low-grade uptake and those who remained silent had no detectable increase in FDG uptake in the region of the larynx. CONCLUSION: The relationship between the degree of laryngeal muscle uptake and speech provides useful information to allow differentiation of physiological from pathological uptake in the neck.