The Added Value of 18F-FDOPA PET/CT in the Work-Up of Patients with Movement Disorders

Movement disorders represent a common clinical feature in many different neurologic diseases. However, although the clinical features are often similar, there are many different possible etiologies of these movement disorders, which represent a valid diagnostic challenge. Management of these patients is dependent on an accurate diagnosis of the underlying etiology because the clinical course and treatment may vary significantly. 18F-Fluor-l-dopa has been used as a positron-emitting compound for PET evaluation of patients with movement disorders and parkinsonism. To emphasize the diagnostic value of combining both morphologic and functional imaging in 18F-Fluor-l-dopa PET/CT, we describe the clinical history and 18F-Fluor-l-dopa PET/CT imaging findings of 5 patients in whom the cause of movement impairment was unclear.