Accumulation of Tau Protein, Metabolism and Perfusion-Application and Efficacy of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Imaging in the Examination of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS)

Piotr Alster; Natalia Katarzyna Madetko; Dariusz Mariusz Koziorowski; Leszek Królicki; Sławomir Budrewicz; Andrzej Friedman

doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.00101

Accumulation of Tau Protein, Metabolism and Perfusion-Application and Efficacy of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Imaging in the Examination of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS)

Front Neurol. 2019 Feb 14:10:101. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00101. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Piotr Alster¹, Natalia Katarzyna Madetko², Dariusz Mariusz Koziorowski¹, Leszek Królicki³, Sławomir Budrewicz², Andrzej Friedman¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
² Department of Neurology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Neuroimaging in the context of examining atypical parkinsonian tauopathies is an evolving matter. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) bring tools, which may be reasonable in supplementary examination, however cannot be interpreted as a gold standard for correct diagnosis. The review presents advantages and limitations of tau radiotracers in PET, metabolic PET and perfusion SPECT. The aim of this paper is to highlight the possibilities and boundaries in the supplementary examination of tauopathic parkinsonian syndromes.

Keywords: PET - positron emission tomography; SPECT and PET imaging; corticobasal syndrome (CBS); neuroimaging; progressive supranucelar palsy.

Publication types

Review