Cardiac (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine Scintigraphy in a Patient with Familial Parkinsonism with Parkin Gene Mutation

A decreased cardiac (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-MIBG) uptake has been used as a powerful tool to identify Lewy body disease, such as idiopathic parkinson's disease (IPD). We performed cardiac (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy in patient with autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (ARJP) with parkin gene mutation (PARK2). The findings showed normal cardiac (123)I-MIBG uptake. Therefore, although the clinical features of ARJP are sometimes quite similar to those of late-onset IPD, cardiac (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy may be used as a valuable tool to identify patients with IPD and to distinguish them from patients with other parkinsonian syndromes.