[Classification of parkinsonian syndromes via factorial discriminant analysis of brain SPECT data].

Introduction: The objective was to assess the value of single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) and factorial discriminant analysis (FDA) in the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

Patients And Methods: Sixty-two patients with clinical diagnoses of either CBD, PSP or PD were studied using brain HmPaO-SPECT. Thirteen pairs of regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the slices located 50mm and 90mm above the canthomeatal plane.

Corticobasal degeneration and Parkinson's disease assessed by HmPaO SPECT: the utility of factorial discriminant analysis.

The diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is difficult despite the existence of some typical clinical features. Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) in CBD presents an original pattern (with asymmetric hypoperfusion in pre- and retrorolandic regions) that could facilitate the differential diagnosis of CBD relative to the other degenerative parkinsonian syndromes. The objective of our study was to compare the regional cerebral blood flow measurements studied by SPECT in both CBD and Parkinson's disease (PD) using a multivariate procedure.

Cognitive and SPECT characteristics predict progression of Parkinson's disease in newly diagnosed patients.

Objective: To identify features in cognitive functioning and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and to determine whether these factors are able to predict the progression of the disease in general and the development of cognitive decline in particular.

Methods: 50 previously treatment-naive PD patients participated in the study. Cognitive assessment and SPECT were performed twice: at the time of diagnosis and then 3 years later.

Is there a typical pattern of brain SPECT imaging in Alzheimer's disease?

The identification of new nosological forms such as Lewy body disease (LBD) requires a re-evaluation of the patterns observed in brain functional imaging in the various forms of dementia. We studied 60 demented patients, divided into three groups and fulfilling the clinical criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD), LBD and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), using Tc-HMPAO and a brain-dedicated SPECT system. After normalisation we applied a cut-off at two levels according to previously established criteria.

Comparison between exercise whole body thallium imaging and ankle-brachial index in the detection of peripheral arterial disease.

Background: Exercise whole body thallium imaging and rest/exercise ankle-brachial index can provide evidence of peripheral artery disease at the stage of intermittent claudication. The aim of this study was to compare both methods in the detection of asymptomatic peripheral artery disease.

Experimental Design: prospective non-randomised study.