123I-FP-CIT SPECT in the differential diagnosis between dementia with Lewy bodies and other dementias

123I-FP-CIT SPECT can represent an accurate method to differentiate between DLB and other dementia syndromes. However, most data in the literature derive from studies adopting the clinical diagnosis as the reference diagnostic standard and which are therefore intrinsically unable to demonstrate an accuracy of DAT imaging above that of careful clinical diagnosis alone. The very few studies providing information on the neuropathologic correlation for the DaTSCAN findings show however high sensitivity and specificity values, suggesting that SPECT scan is more accurate than clinical diagnosis and may prove useful in supporting the clinical diagnosis of DLB.