Early perfusion and dopamine transporter imaging using ¹⁸F-FP-CIT PET/CT in patients with parkinsonism

Combined use of ¹⁸F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2β-carboxymethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane (FP-CIT) for dopamine transporter imaging and ¹⁸F-fludeoxyglucose (FDG) for glucose metabolism shows good diagnostic performance for differential diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) and Parkinson plus syndrome (multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and dementia with Lewy bodies). A recent study showed that ¹⁸F-FP-CIT positron emission tomography (PET) with early perfusion imaging is useful for the differential diagnosis of PD and Parkinson plus syndrome with lower radiation exposure, time, and cost. In this review, we summarize the advantages of using ¹⁸F-FP-CIT PET for perfusion and dopamine transporter imaging, as well as clinical features useful for the differential diagnosis of PD and Parkinson plus syndrome.