title: The detection of preclinical Parkinson's disease: what is the role of positron emission tomography?
abstract: On clinical criteria alone, the diagnosis of early Parkinson's disease can be difficult and, by definition, the prospective recognition of preclinical Parkinson's disease is impossible. Positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]dopa as tracer has been proposed as a means of identifying patients with preclinical disease. The number of subjects detected to date has been few; most have been identified by serendipity or during the course of family studies. This review examines the significance of a single abnormal scan in an apparently healthy subject in terms of the relationship between normal and abnormal values and the time course of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences Section, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Sawle
mesh_terms: D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016631:Lewy Bodies; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine