"A comparison between 99mTc TRODAT SPECT findings in Early versus Late Onset Parkinsonism"

Introduction: To compare the degree and extent of presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction in early versus late-onset Parkinsonism.

Methods: Retrospectively we studied sixteen patients with parkinsonism, of which six under 50 years of age were classified as having early-onset parkinsonism and the remaining ten patients over the age of 50 years were classified as having late-onset parkinsonism.

Results: We found a direct correlation between the severity & duration of symptoms with the degree & extent of presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction in early and late-onset Parkinsonism. On visual and semiquantitative analysis, no significant difference was noted in the degree of presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction in the early and late-onset parkinsonism group. In both groups, caudate nuclei were less (37.5%) frequently involved (early 30.0%, late 45.0%) however putamen nuclei were more (71.9%) frequently and severely involved (early 66.7%, late 75.0%). The p-value for caudate vs putamen in total patients was significant (p-value 0 .005742).

Conclusions: Our (SPECT-TRODAT) result showed no significant difference in the degree and extent of presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction in early and late-onset Parkinsonism.