The stripe of primary lateral sclerosis: Focal primary motor cortex hypometabolism seen on fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography

Background: Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a progressive upper motor neuron neurodegenerative condition. The diagnosis is made using clinical history, objective neurological assessment, and exclusion of other neurodegenerative disorders. Objective: To evaluate the role of fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography and 3-dimensional stereotactic surface projection in the diagnosis of PLS. Design: Case series. Setting: Outpatient neurology clinic. Patients: Three cases of probable PLS. Intervention: Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography in 3 patients with PLS. Results: Three patients (2 male and 1 female; mean age, 65 years) were identified with a clinical diagnosis of PLS. Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography demonstrated varying degrees of primary motor cortex hypometabolism. Conclusion: Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 positron emission tomography and 3-dimensional stereotactic surface projection provide a useful diagnostic method to support a clinical diagnosis of PLS.