Investigation of regional brain glucose metabolism via 18- FDG PET/CT in patients with suicidal toughts according to thei̇r suicide probability

Background: Suicide is an important public heath problem worldwide. It is established that there are metabolic differences among particular brain regions in suicide. In this study, patients with suicidal thoughts are investigated with cranial 18- FDG PET/CT to determine differences among regional brain glucose metabolism. Methods: 20 informed volunteers with suicidal thought were reccurited in the study. SPS, SSI, BSSI, BHS, HAM-D were applied to the volunteers. These participants were divided into two groups, as "high probability group" and "low-middle probability" group, according to SPS scores. To measure regional brain glucose metabolism with 18- FDG PET/CT, z score and uptake ratio parameters was used. Regional brain glucose metabolisms were compared between groups. Results: There were no statistically meaningful differences between high probability and low-middle probability group in terms of regional brain glucose metabolisms documented with uptake ratio and z score parameters.( p>0,05) There was no statistically meaningful relationship between suicide attempt history and hypometabolism in prefrontal cortex which is determined according to z score (p>0,05). There was not statistically meaningful Pearson's correlation between SSI, BSSI, BHS scores of participants and brain glucose metabolisms in investigated brain regions. (p>0,05) Conclusıons: There were no statistically meaningful differences between high probability and low-middle probability group in terms of regional brain glucose metabolisms. When we consider literature and the study findings together; differences in regional brain glucose metabolism may be more valuable representation of history of suicide attempt, lethality of sucidal attempts and concrete suicidal plans than suicide probability based on SPS. Key Words: FDG PET, Suicidal Toughts, Suicide Probability.