The lennox‐gastaut syndrome: Metabolic subtypes determined by 2‐deoxy‐2 [18F]fluoro‐d‐glucose positron emission tomography

Abstract We employed positron emission tomography (PET) with 2‐deoxy‐2[ 18 F]fluoro‐D‐glucose (FDG) to study local cerebral glucose utilization in 15 children who had Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome. Our results show that LGS can be classified into four predominant subtypes, each with a distinct metabolic pattern: (1) unilaterla focal hypometabolism, (2) unilateral diffuse hypometabolism, (3) bilateral diffuse hypometabolism, and (4) normal. Functional disturbances seen on FDG‐PET did not always correlate with abnormalities revealed by x‐ray computed tomographic scan. This classification of Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome into four major metabolic subtypes not only provides a new perspective toward understanding cerebral function in this complex syndrome, but may also prove useful in the clinical management of these patients.