[18F]‐Dopa positron emission tomography imaging in early‐stage, non‐parkin juvenile parkinsonism

Abstract
There are few reports of positron emission tomography (PET) in juvenile parkinsonism (JP). We report on the results of 18F‐6‐fluoro‐L‐dopa (FD) PET in a 14‐year‐old patient with JP of 5 years duration associated with atypical features. This is the youngest subject to be investigated to date. There was a severe asymmetric reduction in striatal FD uptake, with a rostrocaudal gradient in the putamen similar to that seen in adult‐onset idiopathic parkinsonism. Extensive DNA analysis in this patient did not show mutations in the parkin gene. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society