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The effect of levodopa therapy on dopamine transporter SPECT imaging with 123I-FP-CIT in patients with Parkinson’s disease

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate, by means of 123I-FP-CIT SPECT, the effect of chronic treatment with levodopa on striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Methods

Fifteen patients under stable levodopa/carbidopa monotherapy were imaged twice: at baseline on medication and after at least 20 days of treatment wash-out. DAT levels were assessed from SPECT imaging for the entire striatum, the right and left striatum, the right and left putamen and the right and left caudate, as a ratio of regional brain activities using the formula: (striatal region of interest−occipital)/occipital.

Results

During levodopa wash-out, despite a worsening in patients’ clinical disability (H&Y mean stage 2.53±0.58 versus 1.73±0.45 on therapy, p<0.001), striatal 123I-FP-CIT levels were not significantly different from those at baseline in any of the brain regions examined.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that levodopa does not affect 123I-FP-CIT brain imaging and confirm that it is not necessary to withdraw this medication to measure DAT levels with SPECT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biopathology and Diagnostic Imaging, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    Orazio Schillaci, Luca Filippi, Carlo Manni, Roberta Danieli & Giovanni Simonetti

  2. Department of Neurological Sciences, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    Mariangela Pierantozzi, Livia Brusa, Giorgio Bernardi & Paolo Stanzione

  3. Santa Lucia Foundation I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy

    Mariangela Pierantozzi, Livia Brusa, Giorgio Bernardi & Paolo Stanzione

  4. Viale G. Mazzini 121, 00195, Rome, Italy

    Orazio Schillaci

Authors
  1. Orazio Schillaci
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  2. Mariangela Pierantozzi
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  3. Luca Filippi
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  4. Carlo Manni
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  5. Livia Brusa
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  6. Roberta Danieli
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  7. Giorgio Bernardi
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  8. Giovanni Simonetti
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  9. Paolo Stanzione
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Correspondence to Orazio Schillaci.

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Schillaci, O., Pierantozzi, M., Filippi, L. et al. The effect of levodopa therapy on dopamine transporter SPECT imaging with 123I-FP-CIT in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 32, 1452–1456 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-1922-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-005-1922-9

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