Clinical and [123I]FP-CIT SPET imaging follow-up in patients with drug-induced parkinsonism.

We recently found that patients with drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) may have normal (group I) or abnormal (group II) putamen [(123)I]FP-CIT DAT (dopamine transporter) binding. In this study we reassessed clinical features and DAT binding in 19 of the original 32 patients (10 of group I and 9 of group II) after a 19-39-month follow-up period and tested the effects of chronic levodopa treatment in both cohorts of patients. In group I patients, [(123)I]FP-CIT SPET (single photon emission tomography) was still normal in all patients at follow-up; DAT binding and UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) motor score values did not differ from baseline.

[123I]FP-CIT SPET imaging in drug-induced Parkinsonism.

We assessed the status of dopamine nerve terminals in patients treated with dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs) who had developed drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP). We performed [(123)I]FP-CIT SPET in 32 consecutive patients who were on DRBAs for at least 6 months and developed extrapyramidal signs. The UPDRS-III was used to assess clinical severity.

Comparative analysis of visual and semi-quantitative assessment of striatal [123I]FP-CIT-SPET binding in Parkinson's disease.

We used qualitative visual assessment and semiquantitative measures of striatal DAT binding using [(123)I]FP-CIT-SPET in 85 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We compared these two assessments and their correlation with PD clinical progression. SPET imaging was visually classified by a nuclear medicine physician as normal or abnormal pattern grade I, II and III, in relation to a different degree of radioligand reduction uptake.

Gamma knife radiosurgery in skull base meningiomas: a possible relationship between somatostatin receptor decrease and early neurological improvement without tumour shrinkage at short-term imaging follow-up.

Background: This study investigates a possible relationship between the effects of gamma knife (GK) on meningioma somatostatin receptors (SRs) and the high rate of early neurological improvement without tumour reduction at short-term imaging follow-up.

Methods: From December 1997 to December 2002, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) using an 111Indium-labelled somatostatin analogue, Octreotide, was performed both before and 7-12 months after radiosurgery in 20 patients with intracranial meningiomas. Semiquantitative data were calculated as an SRS index.

The coronary subclavian steal syndrome: an uncommon sequel to internal mammary-coronary artery bypass surgery.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome is a possible sequel in patients who have undergone myocardial revascularization with an internal mammary artery. We report a case of this syndrome in a 67-years-old man. In 1990 he underwent a quadruple bypass: aorta-obtuse margin, aorta-right coronary (two sequential), internal artery mammary-descending coronary artery.