Vascular parkinsonism showing dopamine transporter scan findings mimicking those of Parkinson's disease.

Dopamine transporter (DAT) scan is important in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). We herein report a patient with vascular parkinsonism (VP) who showed dopamine transporter (DAT) scan findings which mimicked those typically seen in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). DAT scan findings in patients with VP are characterized by a lower striatal asymmetry index than in patients with PD and decreased uptake in the area consistent with old cerebral infarction or hemorrhage. However, we should be aware that, as in our patient, VP patients with asymmetric basal ganglia lesions, may show increased striatal asymmetry index and asymmetric DAT scan findings.