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IMAGE INTERPRETATION · BRAIN IMAGING

DaTscan (I-123 Ioflupane): What It Evaluates

DaTSCAN (I-123 ioflupane) SPECT — midbrain axial slice
DaTSCAN (I-123 ioflupane) SPECT — midbrain axial slice

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Question

This DaTSCAN (I-123 ioflupane SPECT) shows the characteristic normal 'comma' or 'crescent' shape of bilateral striatal uptake with intact caudate and putamen. A NORMAL DaTSCAN result effectively rules out:

  1. AEssential tremor
  2. BAlzheimer's disease
  3. CParkinson's disease and other dopaminergic deficit syndromes
  4. DVascular parkinsonism
Show the answer and explanation

C. Parkinson's disease and other dopaminergic deficit syndromes

DaTSCAN (I-123 ioflupane) images the presynaptic dopamine transporter (DAT) in the striatum. A normal scan shows bilateral symmetric comma-shaped uptake in the caudate and putamen. This rules out parkinsonian syndromes with presynaptic dopaminergic deficits (Parkinson's disease, DLB, MSA, PSP). A normal DaTSCAN distinguishes Parkinson's disease from essential tremor — patients with essential tremor have normal DAT imaging. Vascular and drug-induced parkinsonism typically have normal DaTSCAN.

More brain imaging images

Tc-99m HMPAO or ECD brain perfusion SPECT — normal distributionNormal Brain Perfusion SPECT with Tc-99m HMPAO Brain perfusion SPECT — transaxial, coronal, sagittal, and temporal slices showing regional cerebral blood flow pattern in dementiaAlzheimer’s Disease on Brain Perfusion SPECT DaTSCAN (I-123 ioflupane) SPECT — normal striatal uptakeParkinson’s Disease on DaTscan: Loss of the Comma Shape Brain perfusion SPECT — frontal lobe hypoperfusion patternFrontotemporal Dementia on Brain Perfusion SPECT Brain scan statics at 5, 10, and 20 minutes showing absence of cerebral perfusion — only scalp/skull activity visibleBrain Death Scan: Absent Cerebral Perfusion Brain perfusion SPECT — comparison of ictal and interictal statesIctal SPECT: Hyperperfusion at the Seizure Focus
← Brain SPECT: When to Image After ECD InjectionNormal Brain Perfusion SPECT with Tc-99m HMPAO →

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