Can DATSCAN imaging help diagnose dementia with Lewy bodies?
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a type of dementia that involves the loss of dopamine-producing cells. This loss leads to movement problems similar to Parkinson's disease. Doctors use DATSCAN, a special brain scan, to check for this specific type of cell loss. The scan is not used alone but helps confirm the diagnosis alongside other tests and symptoms.
What the research says
DATSCAN is officially approved to help visualize dopamine transporters in the brain for patients suspected of having DLB or other Parkinsonian syndromes 3. When the scan shows low dopamine activity in certain areas, it confirms the underlying biological cause of the movement issues, which increases confidence that the patient has a synucleinopathy rather than another type of dementia 6.
Studies show that the results from this scan correlate with the severity of motor symptoms in people with DLB 6. Specifically, a lower score on the scan indicates a more severe lack of dopamine, which helps distinguish DLB from other conditions like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease 5.
Researchers also use this imaging to study patients who have early warning signs, such as sleep disorders, to see how likely they are to develop DLB later 14. The scan helps track these biological changes before full dementia symptoms appear.
What to ask your doctor
- How can a DATSCAN help confirm if my symptoms are due to dementia with Lewy bodies?
- What other tests, like blood work or spinal fluid analysis, should I have alongside this brain scan?
- How do the results of this scan compare to my specific movement symptoms?
- Could my symptoms be caused by another condition that this scan would not detect?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Neurology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.