Fwd: MSA scans UK

[Guest guest]

More dredged up from the archives. This is post #2616

P.

I promised some information relating to MSA scans in UK. Sorry for

delay - I've got 'flu.

I am early stage PD or MSA. I took part in a research scan.

Recent research suggests that the loss of brain cells seen in

Parkinsonian disorders is accompanied by inflammation and that this

may contribute to the progression of the disease. If so, anti-

inflammatory drugs such as aspirin might help in the future to

protect patients with Parkinson's diseases and related disorders.

At the MRC Cyclotron Unit of a London hospital, using PET scanning

with a radiotracer called PK11195, researchers detect the presence of

brain inflammation. They have learned what patterns of inflammation

are typical for PD and MSA, and on this basis they can say what

appears more or less likely; also PD gives a weaker signal, MSA a

stronger one. The researchers might be annoyed at me putting it in

these terms, as it's all couched in statistical-speak and is very

complex, but that's how I understand it. It must be borne in mind

that the scans are experimental, and the objective of the project is

to determine how useful the tool is. Also, not enough brains have

been scanned yet - especially healthy ones - to give a sound

statistical basis for comparison.

The extent of inflammation is likely to have major prognostic

implications as it will reflect disease severity, and in future will

act as a guide as to whether anti-inflammatory and other protective

treatments are effective.

My PK11195 scan showed no MSA and no statistically significant signs

of PD (there is damage in all brains increasing with age). I put this

down to being early stage - they usually have later stage patients.

The researchers also do a more traditional PET scan with FDOPA that

provides a measure of how well the nerves that make dopamine are

working (Carbidopa is given to improve the quality of the images.)

This diagnoses PD but doesn't differentiate PD from MSA. I haven't

had this scan yet.

If the Parkinsonism has atypical features the researchers ask you to

undergo a third scan with fluorodeoxyglucose in order to measure how

much glucose the brain cells are using. As I understand it (I may

well be wrong) this is a fairly common test that differentiates PD

from MSA, or helps to do so; most clinics are content to look the

pictures that result, but you can go down to base data. I showed some

anomaly in the cortex but not wherever the MSA damage would

apparently be found. This confuses me, with hindsight - can't the

cortex be affected in MSA? One researcher seemed to view this cortex

stuff rather as a result of mental activity during the scan. Thinking

of nothing isn't easy.

A MRI scan is also done for comparative purposes, to visualise the

structure of the brain. The PK scan just gives lots of numbers and

there is no point of reference if you don't have the MRI.

The PK scan costs about £4,000.

In the end the researchers seemed fairly definite that I am not MSA,

even though I am in early stages of whatever. Formal clinical

diagnosis (arrived at independently of the research scans) at the

moment - well, a few months ago - is PD. I actually suspect I'm MSA

because of symptoms.

Hope this is of interest.

England

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