Neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies

Haruo Hanyu

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Medical University

In some cases, the clinical distinction between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is difficult because of overlapping clinical and pathological features.　Several imaging techniques have emerged as potential means of supporting the clinical diagnosis of DLB.　Changes associated with DLB include preservation of medial temporal lobe volume on MRI and medial occipital hypoperfusion in SPECT.　Reduction in cardiac MIBG scintigraphy proves to be a highly specific and applicable diagnostic test for DLB.　A pronounced atrophy of the substantia innominata on MRI, reflecting cholinergic neuropathology, is also a characteristic feature of DLB.

Address correspondence to Dr. Haruo Hanyu, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Medical University (6-7-1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan)