Study on the asymmetric distribution characteristics of striatal dopamine transporter in early Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Abstract Background To exploring the characteristics of asymmetric distribution of dopamine transporter(DAT) in the striatum of early Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using 11C-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane (11C-CFT) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging. Methods We recruited 20 patients with early PD and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy controls for 11C-CFT PET/CT imaging. For each subject, the striatum was displayed on the maximum slice of 11C-CFT PET/CT images. Volumes of interest (VOIs) were manually outlined on the caudate, anterior and posterior putamen, and occipital cortex. The specific binding ratio (SBR), asymmetry index (AI), and the anterior-posterior gradient of striatal DAT uptake were calculated based on the mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) within each VOI. Results The SBR of DAT in the anterior and posterior putamen, as well as in the bilateral caudate, was significantly lower in the early PD patients compared to the control group, especially on the contralateral side (p < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the asymmetry index and the anterior-posterior gradient of striatal DAT uptake were significantly higher in the striatal subregions of early PD patients, with the posterior putamen showing the greatest reduction, followed by the anterior putamen, and finally the caudate, indicating a trend of gradual development from posterior to anterior. Conclusions 11C-CFT PET imaging can accurately demonstrate the characteristics of presynaptic dopaminergic neuron dysfunction in the striatum of early PD patients, providing imaging basis for the diagnosis and pathogenesis research of early PD.