Single case study of brain FDG PET imaging in a patient with catatonia.

We report a case of bilateral occipitotemporal and thalamic hypometabolism on FDG PET in a 19-year-old male patient who presented with altered mental status. He had a history of static encephalopathy and presented with visual hallucinations and decreased verbal output, sleep, and appetite 7 days after starting amoxicillin for otitis media. Extensive evaluation failed to demonstrate any infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune-mediated (including negative testing for NMDA receptor antibody), paraneoplastic, or toxic-metabolic etiology. Ultimately, he responded well to a benzodiazepine challenge and electroconvulsive therapy and was diagnosed with catatonia.