From the June 2017 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

Epidemiologic studies have shown that parkinsonism is just as prevalent as dementia and cognitive impairment in the older segment of the population. It also has just as broad of a differential diagnosis as dementia. Basal physiology imaging with CPS and FDG-PET has roles in both the early diagnosis and the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism. There is also a specific physiology imaging exam available which allows us to assay the density of dopamine transporters which are present on dopamine nerve terminals. This assay is helpful for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

Stroke remains the No. 4 killer of humans. What is not revealed in this statistic is the prevalence of morbidity in the population because of cerebrovascular disease. We are starting to become aware of the shocking prevalence of small vessel disease in the U.S. population. Because it is a cell-based imaging method, CPS has high sensitivity for the detection of ischemia in viable cells and in distinguishing viability from cell death. The latter is an important consideration for decisions on using invasive endovascular therapies. This exactly replicates management decisions faced in cardiology.


Following closed head injury, patients often have persistent symptoms which are poorly explained by conventional imaging. Basal physiology imaging of NN can identify dysfunction in this post-concussive syndrome and help facilitate entry into appropriate treatment regimens.

Patients presenting with neurologic syndromes usually carry comorbidities of systemic illness which often cloud the diagnostic picture as to causation. These illnesses may even be inducing a low grade toxic or metabolic encephalopathy. Polypharmacy related to these disorders may even be a major factor. Basal physiology NN with CPS or FDG-PET can be helpful in this differential diagnosis as metabolic encephalopathies have a pattern revealed in NN.

A major element of many differential diagnoses for the above disorders is psychiatric illness. Somatization related to affective disorders, anxiety disorders and even psychotic disorders can mimic various neurologic disorders. These can be distinguished by NN as there are patterns on basal physiology NN which identify these.

There has been recent disturbing press on patients with disorders of consciousness. Brain injury from trauma, hypoxia or ischemia can result in impaired consciousness, the recovery from which is uncertain. As basal physiology NN shows brain function, it can be used as a tool for prognostication in such cases.

June 2017 Magazine

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