Positron emission tomography/computed tomography dual imaging using 18-fluorine flurodeoxyglucose and (11)C-labeled 2-β-carbomethoxy-3-β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane for the severity assessment of Parkinson disease

The value of dual imaging mode for the severity assessment of Parkinson disease (PD) is explored by conducting positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT) double imaging using combined 18-fluorine flurodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) brain metabolism and 11C-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane ((11)C-CFT) brain dopamine transporter (DAT). A total of 102 patients with PD and 50 healthy people in the control group are enrolled for the PET/CT dual imaging of (18)F-FDG brain metabolism and (11)C-CFT brain DAT. The characteristics of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (11)C-CFT PET/CT imaging are analyzed by delineating the region of interest. Differences in the glucose metabolism and DAT distribution in the basal ganglia of patients with PD and healthy control group in the PET/CT imaging and the radioactive distribution characteristics of cerebral cortex in glucose metabolism imaging are compared. The characteristics of PET/CT imaging of (11)C-CFT brain DAT in the ganglion region in absorbing (11)C-CFT in different PD groups are analyzed. Compared with the healthy control group, changes in the cerebral glucose metabolism in the PD group mainly occur due to the increased symmetry metabolism of the nucleus of bilateral basal ganglia and the decreased metabolism of the cerebral cortex as shown in the (18)F-FDG PET/CT images. With disease progression, the bilateral parietal, frontal, temporal, and occipital leaves showed different degrees of FDG metabolism. Statistically significant difference is observed for the(11)C-CFT absorption among the caudate nucleus and the anterior, middle, and posterior nuclei of the bilateral basal ganglia of the PD and healthy control groups. In the PD group, the bilateral caudate nucleus and the anterior, middle, and posterior parts of the putamen show decreased DAT distribution. Regardless of unilateral or bilateral symptoms, the DAT distribution in the nucleus of the contralateral basal ganglia and in the posterior part of the nucleus is substantially reduced. PET/CT dual imaging by (18)F-FDG PET/CT combined with (11)C-CFT PET/CT features high application value for the severity assessment of PD.