Dementia Japan 31:298-309, 2017

Dementia with Lewy bodies ─Neuroimaging findings and underlying pathological backgrounds─

Satoshi Orimo

Department of Neurology, Kanto Central Hospital

The new clinical diagnostic criteria for dementia with Lewy bodies has been just launched in which neuroimaging tools are regarded as important ancillary tests.  Reduced dopamine transporter uptake in the basal ganglia by scintigraphy/PET and reduced MIBG uptake in the heart by MIBG cardiac scintigraphy are adopted as indicative biomarkers, which directly contribute to the clinical diagnosis.  Preservation of medial temporal atrophy by MRI/CT and reduced occipital hypoperfusion/hypometabolism by scintigraphy or FDG-PET are adopted as supportive biomarkers.  In this review article, underlying pathological backgrounds of the abnormal findings demonstrated by above-mentioned neuroimaging tools are reviewed.

Address correspondence to Dr. Satoshi Orimo, Department of Neurology, Kanto Central Hospital (6-25-1 Kami-Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8531, Japan)