Striatal [123I] FP-CIT SPECT demonstrates dopaminergic deficit in a sporadic case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
BACKGROUND
The frequent occurrence of movement disorders such as myoclonus, parkinsonism and dystonia, strongly suggests an involvement of the dopaminergic system in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), but this issue has not been specifically addressed yet.


METHODS
We report a patient who after a sub-acute focal clinical onset, developed the full clinical picture of probable sCJD. Given the early unilateral right extrapyramidal rigidity, the patient was assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography of the dopamine transporter (DAT) using [123I] FP-CIT.


RESULTS
DAT-scan demonstrated reduced values of presynaptic receptorial trace in the putamen, particularly on the left side, consistent with functional putaminal dopaminergic presynaptic alteration.


CONCLUSIONS
The present observation emphasizes the possible role of DAT imaging studies in the investigation of the pathogenesis of movement disorders in CJD.
Ragno
M
M
Division of Neurology, C & G Mazzoni Hospital, Ascoli Piceno, Italy.
Scarcella
M G
MG
Cacchiò
G
G
Capellari
S
S
Di Marzio
F
F
Parchi
P
P
Trojano
L
L
D000368:Aged; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011699:Putamen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014326:Tropanes
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D014326:Tropanes; C087552:2-carbomethoxy-8-(3-fluoropropyl)-3-(4-iodophenyl)tropane; D004298:Dopamine