DaTSCAN scintigraphy (synonyms: dopamine transporter scintigraphy; brain scintigraphy) is a nuclear medicine examination method for imaging specific neurotransmitter transporters in the brain. This imaging examination can be used to check whether Parkinson’s disease or syndromes similar to it are present.
Indications (areas of application)
- Suspicion of Parkinson’s disease*
- Suspected multisystem atrophy (MSA) – neurological disease that progresses rapidly.
- Suspicion of progressive supranuclear gaze palsy (PSP) – neurological disease of unclear cause, associated mainly with dementia, gaze palsy and rigor.
- Suspicion of essential tremor (tremor).
* Because dopamine-releasing neurons perish in Parkinson’s disease but not in essential tremor, the two diseases can be readily differentiated: A normal DaTSCAN result can rule out Parkinson’s syndrome 97% of the time!
Contraindications
Relative contraindications
- Lactation phase (breastfeeding phase) – breastfeeding must be interrupted for 48 hours to prevent risk to the child.
- Repeat examination – no repeat scintigraphy should be performed within three months due to radiation exposure.
Absolute contraindications
- Gravidity (pregnancy)
- Iodine intolerance (“iodine allergy”)
The procedure
DaTSCAN scintigraphy is an examination of dopamine-releasing neurons, which are known to be critical to the clinical picture of Parkinson’s disease. Iodine-123-FP-CIT or Iodine-123-ß-CIT is used as a radioactively labeled pharmaceutical. This is injected intravenously (into the vein) and then spreads throughout the body, primarily to the brain.
The radiopharmaceutical is a substance with a short half-life, so it can be used safely.
Approximately three hours after the injection, SPECT images (slice images) are taken using a camera system. For this, the patient must lie still for three quarters of an hour while the camera slowly circles around his head. In total, the patient should expect to spend five hours for the entire DaTSCAN examination.
Potential complications
- Iodine intolerance (“iodine allergy“).
- Intravenous application of radiopharmaceutical may cause local vascular and nerve lesions (injuries).
- Radiation exposure from the radionuclide used is rather low. Nevertheless, the theoretical risk of radiation-induced late malignancy (leukemia or carcinoma) is increased, so that a risk-benefit assessment should be performed.
