Open AccessDopamine transporter SPECT imaging in Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonian disorders
Author(s) -
Ümit Özgür Akdemir,
Ayşe Bora Tokçaer,
Lütfiye Özlem Atay
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
turkish journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.277
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1303-6165
pISSN - 1300-0144
DOI - 10.3906/sag-2008-253
Subject(s) - dopamine transporter , dopaminergic , spect imaging , medicine , parkinsonism , dopamine , parkinson's disease , striatum , neuroscience , movement disorders , dopamine plasma membrane transport proteins , emission computed tomography , disease , positron emission tomography , psychology , nuclear medicine
The dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging provides an objective tool for the assessment of dopaminergic function of presynaptic terminals which is valuable for the differential diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders related to a striatal dopaminergic deficiency from movement disorders not related a striatal dopaminergic deficiency. DAT imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can be used to confirm or exclude a diagnosis of dopamine deficient parkinsonism in cases where the diagnosis is unclear. It can also detect the dopaminergic dysfunction in presymptomatic subjects at risk for Parkinson’s disease (PD) since the reduced radiotracer binding to DATs in striatum is already present in the prodromal stage of PD. This review covers the rationale of using DAT SPECT imaging in the diagnosis of PD and other parkinsonian disorders, specifically focusing on the practical aspects of imaging and routine clinical indications.