[Diagnostic use of functional imaging in Parkinson's disease and related disorders]

We reviewed the roles of functional neuroimaging in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Positron emission tomography or single photon emission computed tomography measurements in combination with various markers for brain metabolism and pre- and post-synaptic dopamine systems have a potential to enhance an accurate pre-mortem diagnosis of akinetic-rigid syndrome. Using information from magnetic resonance imaging technique seems helpful, too. Furthermore, these methods appear to be useful in pre-morbid diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and longitudinal follow-up for reassessing the rationality of treatment. The sensitivity and specificity of these diagnostic tools still wait for future evaluation, and we foresee further refinement of imaging and analytic methods.