¹⁸F-DOPA PET in Parkinson disease-correlation with clinical findings and review of drug history

Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer's dementia. (¹⁸F)-DOPA uptake is decreased in putamen in virtually all patients with PD, even in the early stage of disease. Small clinical trials have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for ¹⁸F-DOPA PET in PD, but little data exist about ¹⁸F-DOPA PET's role in differentiating IPD from other causes. The aim of the study is to determine diagnostic accuracy of ¹⁸F DOPA PET in differentiating IDP. In this retrospective study of 70 patients (48/22-M/F), who were injected with mean dose 5 mCi(185MBq) of ¹⁸F-DOPA. The scan was interpreted by visual (qualitative) analysis of ¹⁸F-DOPA uptake in basal ganglia nuclei caudate and putamen. 54/70 showed reduced F-18 DOPA uptake based on qualitative assessment. Amongst 25(36%) suspected PD, 19/25(76%) were positive and 6(24%) were normal (p <0.05). From 20(29%) patients of diagnosed PD 3/9/8 was mild moderate and severe PD respectively. Out of 8(11%) patients with speech difficulties, 5(62%) showed severe disease (p < 0.05). From 36 patients with unilateral symptoms, 8 patients showed contralateral involvement and 22 patients showed bilateral reduced dopamine update. ¹⁸F-DOPA-PET can differentiate IPD from other close clinical differentials having parkinsonian features, but we found more accurate in differentiating drug induced Parkinson disease. We could not differentiate between atypical and typical PD which was based on clinical features