Early perfusion and dopamine transporter imaging using 18F-FP-CIT PET/CT in patients with parkinsonism.

Combined use of 18F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2β-carboxymethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane (FP-CIT) for dopamine transporter imaging and 18F-fludeoxyglucose (FDG) for glucose metabolism shows good diagnostic performance for differential diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) and Parkinson plus syndrome (multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and dementia with Lewy bodies). A recent study showed that 18F-FP-CIT positron emission tomography (PET) with early perfusion imaging is useful for the differential diagnosis of PD and Parkinson plus syndrome with lower radiation exposure, time, and cost. In this review, we summarize the advantages of using 18F-FP-CIT PET for perfusion and dopamine transporter imaging, as well as clinical features useful for the differential diagnosis of PD and Parkinson plus syndrome.