The presymptomatic period in a patient with idiopathic parkinsonism.
A 68-year-old, normal female volunteer was scanned by positron emission tomography (PET) with [(18)F]6-L-fluorodopa (FD). Striatal FD uptake was in the high normal range. Subsequently, she developed parkinsonism 3.7 years after the scan. A repeat FD PET scan revealed a significant reduction of FD uptake by 20% over the 5.2 year interval. Our observations suggest a relatively short presymptomatic period with fast initial losses of nigral neurons in idiopathic parkinsonism.
Shinotoh
H
H
Neurodegenerative Disorders Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Vingerhoets
F J
FJ
Schulzer
M
M
Snow
B J
BJ