DAT scan for Parkinsons disease usefulness and cost

Thank you so much! Will do and please keep me posted on your status. I would love to follow your outcome! Prayers and blessings!

@emmit I share your frustration. My neurologist said, “you don’t have Parkinson’s based on the Datscat so come back in 3 months.” She has prescribed Nortriptyline, which seems to help. Although it is usually prescribed as an anti-depressant, there is some evidence that it slows/prevents protein build up in the brain. There are some studies on this issue conducted by Michael J Fox foundation. My symptoms also point to PD and are very sporadic. I have good days and bad days. I will follow your lead and find a movement disorder specialist. I assume neurologists have specializations and I think both of us need one that specializes in Parkinson’s and/or movement disorders.

@ladylawyer RE: Dat Scan reports. I've only had one Dat Scan as I am very new to this. However, my report had more in it than just 5 words or "Normal". My concern is there is more to a Dat scan than just the shape of the cells--which is all my report mentioned. even though there was a clear distinction between the two cells. When I asked my neurologist, his response was--the people that write these reports know what they are doing. so clearly, he didn't know how to read the actual scans -- he was just simply reading the report narrative--which I can do too. He then said he doesn't need to see me again unless there are drastic changes. Apparently, there is not much they can do other than prescribe meds for this.
My symptoms point to early stages of PD. I have an appt. with a movement disorder specialist next month. In the meantime, I have done PT and OT to work on strength for my right side. and exercise is key to keeping the strength up to deal with the tremors.

@emmit SAME HERE! My DATscan says “no evidence of Parkinson’s disease” but my Z score for my posterior putamen right is only 1.4 while the left is 2.42 and all other numbers are significantly higher. I have an appointment with my neurologist to go over the scan but it’s so frustrating to know something is wrong and every test comes back “normal.” I know I’m not crazy! It’s so helpful to know there are others experiencing the same thing!

@seniormed it is not FDA approved.

I had the SynOne skin sampling test for alpha-synuclein .
The charges to Medicare totaled 1900 dollars approved.
It was FDA approved last year and has very high accuracy for
the underlying marker for Parkinson’s in our nerves.
The DAT scan is a key component for diagnosis.

@ladylawyer
Hello and welcome. I am only 54 and i have many PD symptoms but my dat scan came back “normal”. But what I notice was the report only discussed the shape of the cells and they were normal. The report did NOT say anything about the dopamine activity inside the cells. And I noticed in my scan one cell was extremely bright indicating activity while the other was dull. When I inverted the color I could see that even though the shapes were good one side clearly had good dopamine activity and the other had barely any.
From what I could find this could indicate very early stages of PD.
I too have stiffness only on right arm and right leg mainly in the morning. I have sporadic tremors in right leg right arm hand and jaw
My right arm does not swing when I walk. Fortunately my gait is not bad. I’m displaying many PD symptoms but they told me my dat scan said ET.
I’m not sold on the ET diagnosis on my report based on everything else.
So o would double check the dat scan. I have a call into my place to discuss with them.

@lisalucier Thank you so much! I have multiple symptoms: stiff/painful hands and feet (primarily in the morning), abnormal gait, voice issues, tremor (left hand/arm), slow walking, dizziness, unbalanced, mild cognitive issues, minor jolt movements while sleeping, vision issues, frequent headache. Many of these symptoms are sporadic but the stiff hands and feet and gait are generally everyday. I was certain my DATscan would come back abnormal but it is normal. While I am relieved it is not Parkinson’s, I worry that I am simply too early in the process to have an abnormal DATscan. Also, I am only 55 years old so several neurologists have told me to “come back in a year.”