title: Skin biopsy and I-123 MIBG scintigraphy findings in idiopathic Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism: a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  (123) I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine ((123) I-MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy is considered reliable in differentiating idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) from other parkinsonisms, but it is biased by pharmacological treatments. Skin biopsy is not influenced by therapy and has disclosed skin denervation in IPD. Our aims were to compare (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy and skin biopsy findings in IPD and parkinsonisms to (1) verify whether myocardial and skin denervations are linked; (2) explore the simultaneous extent of the autonomic dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 22 IPD and 11 parkinsonism patients by means of (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy and skin biopsies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the IPD group, both (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy and skin biopsy results were abnormal in 91% of patients, showing concordance in 82% of cases. In parkinsonisms, results of both tests were normal in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) Skin biopsy and (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy provide comparable results; (2) in IPD, autonomic dysfunctions are often simultaneously widespread at cardiac and skin branches. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e NeuroMotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Giannoccaro
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donadio
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Incensi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e NeuroMotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.|IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.affiliation: Unità di Medicina Nucleare, Ospedale Maggiore, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cason
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Vitantonio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Stasi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e NeuroMotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scaglione
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e NeuroMotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.|IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capellari
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT Center, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona and Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Treglia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e NeuroMotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.|IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liguori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes
keywords: 123I-MIBG scintigraphy; Parkinson's disease; Parkinsonism; skin biopsy; small fiber neuropathy