BACKGROUND

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a kind of neurodegenerative disease. In the present study, the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of PSP were analyzed, and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) brain imaging was performed to preliminarily explore the characteristics of cerebral glucose metabolism, so as to make a more accurate and differential diagnosis.

METHODS

In accordance with the diagnostic criteria, the clinical symptoms, the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the activities of daily living (ADL), and the magnetic resonance image (MRI) of 19 patients with PSP were examined and FDG-PET brain imaging was performed. Visual analysis and statistical parameter diagram were used to analyze the characteristics.

RESULTS

Concerning the clinical characteristics, 84.21% of the patients with PSP had early recurrent falls, 63.15% had vertical supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, and 47.37% had symptoms of dementia. The MRI scans showed that 57.89% of the patients had a "hummingbird" sign in the middle sagittal position. The FDG-PET imaging indicated that glucose metabolism in the midbrain and frontal lobe was decreased in patients with PSP.

CONCLUSIONS

Studying the clinical and MRI features of patients with PSP can be helpful in the diagnosis, especially as some signs could be found in the early stage by FDG PET, enhancing early diagnosis and differentiation.