Review Article

PET-CT in brain disorders: The South African context

Alexander G.G. Doruyter, Jeannette Parkes, Jonathan Carr, James M. Warwick
South African Journal of Radiology | Vol 25, No 1 | a2201 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajr.v25i1.2201 | © 2021 Alexander Doruyter, Jeannette Parkes, Jonathan Carr, James Mathew Warwick | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 01 June 2021 | Published: 10 November 2021

About the author(s)

Alexander G.G. Doruyter, NuMeRI Node for Infection Imaging, Central Analytical Facilities, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; and, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Jeannette Parkes, Division of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Jonathan Carr, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
James M. Warwick, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Positron emission tomography combined with X-ray computed tomography (PET-CT) has an established role in the management of brain disorders, but may be underutilised in South Africa. Possible barriers to access include the limited number of PET-CT facilities and the lack of contemporary guidelines for the use of brain PET-CT in South Africa. The current review aims to highlight the evidence-based usage of brain Positron emission tomography (PET) in dementia, movement disorders, brain tumours, epilepsy, neuropsychiatric lupus, immune-mediated encephalitides, and brain infections. While being areas of research, there is currently no clinical role for the use of PET-CT in traumatic brain injury or in psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders. Strategies to expand the appropriate use of PET-CT in brain disorders are discussed in this article.

Keywords

brain; positron emission tomography; F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose; F-18 fluoro-dihydroxyphenylalanine; dementia; brain tumour; Parkinson’s disease

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