Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Radio-diagnosis

Most neuropsychological studies on CHT-treated cancer survivors reported cognitive impairments in multiple domains such as executive functions, learning, memory, attention, verbal fluency and speed of information processing. The CHT effects ranges from small to moderate, involving mostly the cognitive functions sub served by frontal lobes. PET/CT has the potential to serve as an early marker for cognitive changes associated with chemotherapy. Identification of a chemobrain based on metabolism patterns could then propagate the development and implementation of early interventions targeting chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction. Our study composed of thirty patients; all received chemotherapy. We found that there is a significant reduction in the brain metabolism "FDG uptake" in all regions of the brain, mainly at the mesial temporal lobes as well as the frontal lobes. This metabolic change proves that chemotherapy has an adverse effect on the brain that can be objectively assessed with modern imaging techniques so as to predict and minimize or delay such therapy related cognitive impairment for better quality of life of those patients

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