The association between changes on serial PET studies and the clinical course of 12 patients with newly diagnosed West’s syndrome is reported from the Departments of Pediatrics and Radiology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. PET with FDG revealed diffuse or focal cortical hypometabolism in 11 patients, whereas MRI showed abnormalities in only 5. In 7 patients with normal findings on a second PET, spasms ceased after treatment, whereas in 5 with persistent abnormalities on PET, spasms persisted or recurred or partial seizures developed. Patients with normal MRI and normal second PET studies had normal psychomotor development. [1]

COMMENT. PET has been found of value in the preoperative evaluation of patients with West’s syndrome [2]. It may also be used in the assessment of prognosis. See also Ped Neur Briefs March 1992 and Progress in Pediatric Neurology II, Chicago, PNB Publ, 1994, for further reference to PET and infantile spasms.