Antonini Angelo, DeNotaris Roberta
Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Centro per la malattia di Parkinson, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Via Bignami 1, 20125 Milan, Italy.
Sleep Med. 2004 Mar;5(2):201-6. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2003.10.013.
Neuroimaging studies of the dopaminergic system with positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography radioligands are useful in the assessment of neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease. Abnormalities can be identified early in the disease process and used to monitor progression as well as the effect of treatment. Studies of dopamine receptors and brain metabolism can help identify those patients who have other Parkinsonian syndromes, such as multiple system atrophy, progressive sopranuclear palsy or diffuse Lewy body dementia. The current available diagnostic criteria for these disorders rely solely on the presence of signs and symptoms that may require months or years to become fully clinically manifest. Conversely, the use of neuroimaging techniques can significantly shorten the diagnostic process and prove a useful means to the neurologist in those cases presenting with uncertain clinical diagnosis.
利用正电子发射断层扫描和单光子发射计算机断层扫描放射性配体对多巴胺能系统进行神经影像学研究，有助于评估帕金森病中的神经元变性。在疾病过程早期即可发现异常，这些异常可用于监测疾病进展以及治疗效果。对多巴胺受体和脑代谢的研究有助于识别患有其他帕金森综合征的患者，如多系统萎缩、进行性核上性麻痹或弥漫性路易体痴呆。目前这些疾病可用的诊断标准仅依赖于体征和症状的存在，而这些体征和症状可能需要数月或数年才能在临床上完全显现。相反，使用神经影像学技术可显著缩短诊断过程，并在临床诊断不明确的病例中为神经科医生提供一种有用的手段。
