PET and SPECT studies in the chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis

Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalitis (ME) comprises a group of disorders generally defi ned by persistent fatigue accompanied by a range of other symptoms that may fl uctuate in intensity and severity and with great variability in the symptoms between individual persons. The underlying pathophysiology is still not fully explained, but literature continues to demonstrate an involvement of the central nervous system. This book chapter reviews all SPECT and PET studies in patients with CFS/ME that have been published. No corresponding fi ndings were found in all these studies. Some papers mention a global cerebral hypoperfusion and some hypoperfusion of the brainstem; others did not fi nd any differences compared with healthy controls or found hyperperfusion of a certain brain region. However, for the future, there are several possibilities in which nuclear medicine may help to solve the problem of the aetiology of CFS/ME. Imaging the serotonergic system, targeted imaging of specifi c molecules and cytokines involved in this disease and imaging the role of neuroinfl ammation are areas that may be worthwhile to investigate.