DaTscan
The first FDA-approved radiopharmaceutical imaging agent known as DaTscan is available at Bravera Health Brooksville and Spring Hill to help physicians evaluate patients with suspected Parkinsonian syndromes (PS), such as Parkinson's disease (PD).
DaTscan is an imaging technology that uses small amounts of a radioactive drug to help determine how much dopamine is available in a person's brain. While a DaTscan does not diagnose Parkinson's disease, this type of scan is used to help physicians confirm a diagnosis. The results of a DaTscan can be used to help rule out other diseases that may have similar symptoms, like essential tremor.
DaTscan has been used in Europe for more than 10 years, where more than 300,000 patients have undergone the procedure in 34 countries.
The National Parkinson Foundation estimates that 50,000 to 60,000 new cases of PD are diagnosed in the United States each year, but an accurate diagnosis can take up to six years. Many mistakenly attribute the first symptoms of PS, such as Parkinson's disease, to the normal aging process.
If you are interested in a DaTscan, speak with your doctor to see if it is right for you.