Diagnostic accuracy of dual-phase (18)F-FP-CIT PET imaging for detection and differential diagnosis of Parkinsonism

Delayed phase (18)F-FP-CIT PET (dCIT) can assess the striatal dopamine transporter binding to detect degenerative parkinsonism (DP). Early phase (18)F-FP-CIT (eCIT) can assess the regional brain activity for differential diagnosis among parkinsonism similar with (18)F-FDG PET. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of dual phase (18)F-FP-CIT PET (dual CIT) and (18)F-FDG PET compared with clinical diagnosis in 141 subjects [36 with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD), 77 with multiple system atrophy (MSA), 18 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and 10 with non-DP)]. Visual assessment of eCIT, dCIT, dual CIT, (18)F-FDG and (18)F-FDG PET with dCIT was in agreement with the clinical diagnosis in 61.7%, 69.5%, 95.7%, 81.6%, and 97.2% of cases, respectively. ECIT showed about 90% concordance with non-DP and MSA, and 8.3% and 27.8% with IPD and PSP, respectively. DCIT showed ≥ 88% concordance with non-DP, IPD, and PSP, and 49.4% concordance with MSA. Dual CIT showed ≥ 90% concordance in all groups. (18)F-FDG PET showed ≥ 90% concordance with non-DP, MSA, and PSP, but only 33.3% concordance with IPD. The combination of (18)F-FDG and dCIT yielded ≥ 90% concordance in all groups. Dual CIT may represent a powerful alternative to the combination of (18)F-FDG PET and dCIT for differential diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders.