A longitudinal follow-up study of the quantification of dopamine transporters with 123I-Ioflupane (DaTscan)

Abstract

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to test a quantification tool to measure the evolution of the functional reserve of dopaminergic transporters, from two consecutive 123I-Ioflupane Datscan. MethodsImages of 58 patients who underwent two consecutive 123I-Ioflupane examinations (DaTscan®) in the Nuclear Medicine Department of Toulouse University Hospital from 2002 to 2016 were analysed in this retrospective study. Twenty-four patients had a normal dopaminergic neuronal operation (N group), 34 had a pathological impairment of the dopamine transporters (P group) which 15 did not receive any treatment (PO group) and 16 who received treatment (P1 group). The DaTscan® image quantification was performed with the DaTsofr3D® software, permitting to measure the right and left binding potential (PL) of the caudate nucleus (NC), putamen (PU) and striatum (ST). ResultsIn the N group, the annual mean change of the binding potential (NC, PU, ST) was respectively (−0.03%/year, −0.96%/year, −0.43%/year) and did not significantly differ from the normal physiological decline of −0.66%/year. The annual binding potential mean changes of the P group (−9.6%/year, −13%/year, −11%/year) significantly differed not only from the N group but also from the physiological decline. No significant difference was shown between P0 and P1 groups. ConclusionThe DaTsoft3D® quantification software permits to split up two groups according to the evolution of the dopamine transporter density with a significant difference in the binding potential mean annual rate.