Complementary Utility of Dopamine Transporter and Tau PET Imaging in the Diagnosis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Case Report

Clin Nucl Med. 2022 Apr 1;47(4):336-338. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003974.

Abstract

A 50-year-old woman developed gait disturbances, tendency to fall backwards, bradykinesia, and memory loss over the previous 6 months. Brain 18F-FDG PET/CT was unable to distinguish among APSs (atypical parkinsonian syndromes); PET investigations of dopamine transporter (DAT) function (11C-CFT) and tau pathology (18F-APN-1607) were performed. 11C-CFT PET revealed severe loss of striatal DAT function, whereas significant tau accumulation was observed in the brainstem, basal ganglia, and globus pallidus on 18F-APN-1607 PET. Such finding suggested diagnosis of PSP (progressive supranuclear palsy). This case highlights the value of DAT and tau PET imaging in diagnosis of PSP and differential diagnosis ofAPSs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
  • Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive* / diagnostic imaging
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • tau Proteins