BOCA RATON — West Boca Medical Center is among the few hospitals in south Florida to offer the DaTscan™, a new diagnostic imaging technique that allows physicians to differentiate Parkinson’s disease from other movement disorders.
The DaTscan™ is the only FDA-approved imaging agent for assessment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease.
“The DaTscan™ is a critical step in our ability to accurately diagnose and treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease early, and often earlier diagnosis can mean more effective treatments,” said Mitch Feldman, CEO.
“Prior to this technology, physicians had to rely on clinical assessment alone to assess for movement disorders; now, physicians can use the DaTscan™ to clinically identify patients who have loss of dopamine, the major chemical responsible for the symptoms of movement disorders.”
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are attributed to a decrease in dopamine in the brain, which causes muscle tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with movement and balance. Early in the disease when symptoms are slight, it is often difficult for physicians to differentiate between movement disorders based on clinical examination alone.
The DaTscan, developed by GE Healthcare, detects dopamine transporters in the brain. A patient is injected with the contrast agent and then undergoes a specialized scan. The scan captures detailed pictures of the brain’s dopamine system and shows the presence of dopamine transporters. In patients with Parkinson’s Disease or another parkinsonian syndrome, the scans show extremely low dopamine levels.
“We are proud to bring the DaTscan to our patients and local community, as it will support our doctors in providing the right diagnostic answers to patients, which will influence the most appropriate long term treatment of diseases like Parkinson’s Disease and offer patients the best possible clinical outcomes” said Feldman.”