title: Relation of 18-F-Dopa PET with hypokinesia-rigidity, tremor and freezing in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this retrospective study concerning patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) scanned with 18-F-Dopa PET (N = 129), we looked for an association between reduced 18-F-Dopa uptake and the key PD symptoms tremor and hypokinesia-rigidity. We hypothesized to find a stronger correlation between dopaminergic depletion in the striatum and hypokinesia-rigidity compared to tremor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The onset side of symptoms (documented for 102 patients) as well as the first registered UPDRS (available for 79 patients) was used to correlate with F-Dopa uptake values in the caudate nucleus and putamen in this large retrospective sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reduced F-Dopa uptake was contralateral to hypokinesia-rigidity symptoms and correlated with its severity (quantified by UPDRS). For tremor severity, no correlation was seen with F-Dopa reduction. Furthermore, freezing of gait correlated with reduced F-Dopa uptake in the putamen of the right hemisphere.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results, obtained in a large patient group, provides support for the concept that tremor in PD is not only based on a dopamine related pathway but may rely on a different pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.r.a.pikstra@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Angelina R A
authors.initials: ARA
authors.lastname: Pikstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.van.der.hoorn@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Hoorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: k.l.leenders@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Klaus L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Leenders
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.m.de.jong@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Bauke M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: de Jong
mesh_terms: D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018476:Hypokinesia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014202:Tremor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: F-Dopa PET; Hypokinesia; Parkinson's disease; Rigidity; Tremor