Postoperative (18)F-FDG-PET/CT documents efficacy of selective peripheral denervation for treating cervical dystonia

BACKGROUND: Cervical dystonia, characterized by involuntary contraction of the cervical muscles, is the most common form of adult dystonia. We compared the preoperative versus postoperative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans to confirm the efficacy of selective peripheral denervation (SPD) for treating cervical dystonia. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old male with the right-sided cervical dystonia underwent a left pallidothalamic tractotomy. However, the involuntary neck movement persisted and correlated with the (18)F-FDG-PET/CT imaging that showed persistent FDG uptake in the right obliquus capitis inferior muscle. A subsequent SPD resulted in resolution of the dystonia that correlated with lack of further (18)F-FDG-PET/CT uptake in the right obliquus capitis inferior muscle. CONCLUSION: The postoperative (18)F-FDG-PET/CT documented the efficacy of an SPD in resolving a patient’s cervical dystonia.