[123I]FP-CIT SPECT is a useful method to monitor the rate of dopaminergic degeneration in early-stage Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission Vol. 108; no. 8-9; pp. 1011 - 1019
• Main Authors: WINOGRODZKA, A, BERGMANS, P, BOOIJ, J, VAN ROYEN, E. A, JANSSEN, A. G. M, WOLTERS, E. Ch
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wien Springer 01.01.2001; New York, NY
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Binding Sites - drug effects; Binding Sites - physiology; Binding, Competitive - drug effects; Binding, Competitive - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Disease Progression; Dopamine - metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neostriatum - diagnostic imaging; Neostriatum - pathology; Neural Pathways - diagnostic imaging; Neural Pathways - pathology; Neurology; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Parkinson Disease - diagnostic imaging; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Presynaptic Terminals - diagnostic imaging; Presynaptic Terminals - pathology; Radionuclide Imaging; Substantia Nigra - diagnostic imaging; Substantia Nigra - pathology; Tropanes - pharmacokinetics; Human; Nervous system diseases; Dopamine; Parkinson disease; Catecholamine; Photon; Cerebral disorder; Central nervous system disease; Neurotransmitter; Degenerative disease; Degeneration; Carrier protein; Extrapyramidal syndrome; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0300-9564; 1435-1463
• DOI: 10.1007/s007020170019

We investigated the applicability [123I]FP-CIT SPECT for the assessment of the rate of dopaminergic degeneration in PD. Twenty early-stage PD patients (age range 43-73 yr; mean age 55.4) were examined twice, a mean of 12 months apart. The mean annual change in the ratio of specific to nonspecific [123I]FP-CIT binding to the striatum was used as the outcome measure. The mean annual decrease in striatal [123I]FP-CIT binding ratios was found to be about 8% (of the baseline mean). In order to demonstrate a significant effect (p < 0.05) of putative neuroprotective agent with 0.80 power and 50% of predicted protection within 2 years, 36 patients are required in each group, when the effects are measured by means of changes in [123I]FP-CIT binding ratios in whole striatum. Our findings indicate that [123I]FP-CIT SPECT seems to be a useful tool to investigate the progression of dopaminergic degeneration in PD and may provide an objective method of measuring the effectiveness of neuroprotective therapies.