Recent advances in nuclear medicine determine the stage of Parkinson’s disease

Valencia, December 9. (European Press) –

The Head of the Nuclear Medicine Unit at Vithas Valencia 9 de Octubre Hospital, Dr. Pablo Supina, emphasized that the importance of neurological diagnosis is a “key” to identifying Parkinson’s against other diseases, and in this sense has highlighted recent advances in nuclear medicine to determine the stage of this disease.

According to the Spanish Society of Neurology, about 150,000 people in Spain suffer from Parkinson’s disease, which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s disease.

In this regard, he explained, tremors, rigidity and cognitive problems are the main symptoms of this chronic, degenerative and progressive disease, as a result of the degeneration of a specific type of cell located in a region deep in the brain called the basal ganglia. Especially in the part of the brainstem called the substantia nigra.

However, due to the onset of the first symptoms, which in many cases are erroneously associated with other diseases, until a definitive diagnosis is established*, an average of one to five years may pass.

Therefore, in case of diagnostic doubt, especially if there is a tremor, either atypical or essential; In order to differentiate Parkinson’s syndrome, specific brain tests may be ordered to complete the diagnosis process.

These tests, PET-Dopamine or DATSCAN, are non-invasive, short in duration, and require no preparation. Así, ha destacado que si existe patología con degeneración nigro-estriatal, mostrarán una alteración por pérdida de la función, incluso antes de que el paciente muestra síntomas motores característico de párkinson de párkinson, man este y émás e at least; According to the series, in one third of the cases 2.

In this sense, Parkinson’s disease causes a loss of density of proteins responsible for the transmission of dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for controlling movement. Thus, although tremor is the most common symptom of the disease, it is most common to initially consult a specialist because of the slowness in the performance of daily tasks.