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Dopamine Transporter Imaging

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Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) can be difficult to diagnose as it shares common features with both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease. Accurate differentiation from other types of dementia as well as early detection is essential to inform management and treatment. The use of biomarkers, particularly imaging, has greatly contributed to the accurate diagnosis of DLB. This chapter will give an overview of the contribution of dopaminergic imaging to (i) the diagnosis of DLB and (ii) a better understanding of the underlying pathology. It will concentrate on dopamine transporter imaging, at present the most extensively studied technique, and review the knowledge about its place in the differential diagnosis from AD and other types of dementia. It will also briefly review the methods used to assess dopamine transporter and how to interpret the scans. Apart from discussing differential diagnosis and the limitations, it will discuss some up to date correlations of imaging and various clinical features.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Chelmsford, UK

    Louise Colledge, Tim Whitfield & Zuzana Walker

  2. Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK

    Zuzana Walker

Authors
  1. Louise Colledge
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  2. Tim Whitfield
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  3. Zuzana Walker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zuzana Walker .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

    Kenji Kosaka

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© 2017 Springer Japan KK

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Colledge, L., Whitfield, T., Walker, Z. (2017). Dopamine Transporter Imaging. In: Kosaka, K. (eds) Dementia with Lewy Bodies. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55948-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55948-1_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-55946-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-55948-1

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