ABSTRACT
This article reviews the applications of functional neuroimaging with positron emission
tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to the diagnosis
and treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). PET measurements with [
@affil1:1
@affil8:8F]deoxyglucose to measure glucose metabolism or with various markers of the pre- and
postsynaptic dopamine systems may distinguish idiopathic PD from other conditions
presenting with an akinetic-rigid state. Moreover, PET has been used to gain new insights
into mechanisms of cell death and the role of heredity in Parkinson's disease. Finally,
we discuss the use of functional neuroimaging to study the role of the basal ganglia
in movement and cognition in PD.
KEYWORD
Positron emission tomography - Parkinson's disease - basal ganglia