Myocardial innervation imaging with MIBG scintigraphy demonstrated high pooled sensitivity and specificity in patients with suspected DLB. MIBG scintigraphy is an accurate test for differential diagnosis between DLB and other dementias.

In patients with clinically suspected PD, myocardial innervation imaging demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. MIBG scintigraphy is an accurate test in this setting. Nevertheless, possible causes of false-negative and false-positive results should be kept in mind when interpreting the scintigraphic results.

Radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is an analog of guanethidine and is taken up by the postganglionic presynaptic nerve endings. MIBG uptake in the heart correlates with adrenergic function, which can be reduced in Lewy body diseases. We described the recent developments in innervation imaging using (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy in Lewy body diseases including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Particularly, we underlined the role of MIBG scintigraphy in differential diagnosis of movement disorders. As described by recent studies, MIBG scintigraphy is a valuable diagnostic tool for differentiation between Lewy body diseases and parkinsonian syndromes or other movement disorders with parkinsonism. Furthermore, this method may provide a powerful differential diagnostic tool between dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease. We also reported the results of clinical investigations about the correlation between characteristics of Parkinson's disease and myocardial MIBG uptake.

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LBD usually present both myocardial sympathetic and striatal dopaminergic impairments. (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT presents high sensitivity in the diagnosis of LBD; (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy may have a complementary role in differential diagnosis between PD and other parkinsonism. These scintigraphic methods showed similar diagnostic accuracy in differential diagnosis between DLB and other dementia.

Introduction: Aim of this review is to describe the recent applications of nuclear medicine techniques in diagnostics, particularly in oncology. Materials and methods: We reviewed scientific literature data searching for the current role of tomographic nuclear medicine techniques (SPECTand PET) in oncology and summarized the main applications of these techniques. Results: Nuclear medicine techniques have a key role in oncology allowing early diagnosis of many tumours, an accurate staging of disease and evalutation of treatment response. Hybrid SPECT/CT and PET/CT imaging systems now provide metabolic and functional information from SPECTor PETcombined with the high spatial resolution and anatomic information of CT. The most frequent applications of SPECT/CT in oncology concern thyroid tumours, neuroendocrine tumours, bone metastases and lymph node mapping. Furthermore the evaluation of many tumours may benefit from PET/CT imaging. Discussion: The recent development of new radiopharmaceuticals and the growth of hybrid tomographic devices, such as SPECT/CT and PET/CT, now permits molecular imaging of biologic processes at the cellular level to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of many tumours.

(1) Skin biopsy and (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy provide comparable results; (2) in IPD, autonomic dysfunctions are often simultaneously widespread at cardiac and skin branches. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

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