title: Comparison between a dual-head and a brain-dedicated SPECT system in the measurement of the loss of dopamine transporters with [123I]FP-CIT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dual-head SPECT systems are used by many clinical departments for [(123)I]FP-CIT SPECT imaging, while triple-head or brain-dedicated systems with better imaging performance are more commonly used by research institutions. There are limited data comparing the capability of the two types of system to measure dopamine transporter (DAT) loss in vivo.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the ability of a dual-head and a brain-dedicated SPECT system to estimate the degree of DAT loss in different movement disorders with variable nigrostriatal impairment, with [(123)I]FP-CIT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with essential tremor, 24 with Parkinson's disease (PD), six with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 and six controls were studied with [(123)I]FP-CIT. SPECT scans were performed on a dual-head (E.CAM-Siemens) and subsequently on a brain-dedicated system (Ceraspect-DSI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Striatal DAT outcome measures on the E.CAM and the Ceraspect were strongly correlated and the putamen-to-caudate ratios were almost identical. Although the measured values were lower by 52+/-25% in caudate and by 51+/-31% in putamen on the E.CAM (p<0.0001), the average striatal DAT decrease in each patient group compared with controls was similar for both systems. In PD patients, similar correlations (p<0.05) were found between motor UPDRS or Hoehn and Yahr stage and striatal DAT density.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite underestimation of striatal DAT outcome measures, the E.CAM showed similar capability as the Ceraspect in measuring the degree of nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit and assessing the correlation between DAT outcome measures and clinical variables of PD severity and stage.
authors.affiliation: Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute, National Research Council/Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, University Federico II, Napoli, Italy. andrea.varrone@ki.se
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varrone
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Pellecchia
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amboni
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Michele
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filla
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pappatà
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvatore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D011699:Putamen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014326:Tropanes
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014326:Tropanes; C087552:2-carbomethoxy-8-(3-fluoropropyl)-3-(4-iodophenyl)tropane