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Optimization of automated quantification of 123I-IBZM uptake in the striatum applied to parkinsonism. Evaluation of therapies for parkinsonism by dopamine receptor SPECT requires a reproducible, optimized quantitation technique. This study presents a new, objective, automated technique for semiquantitative analysis of dopamine receptor density, as applied to the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism. METHODS: Dopamine receptor density measured by 123I-iodobenzamide (IBZM) SPECT was retrospectively analyzed in nonidiopathic parkinsonism (NIPS), in Parkinson's disease (PD), and in healthy volunteers (n = 19, 38, and 13, respectively). A mean template was created from coregistered control studies. Registration errors were assessed using studies with simulated binding deficits. Patient studies were registered to the mean template, and striatal binding was calculated from a corresponding map of 3-dimensional regions of interest (ROIs). The striatal binding ratio and deficits determined by voxelwise comparison with the normal template were investigated and tested with various 3-dimensional ROI sizes and positions. Separation of patient groups was determined by tscore after automatically processing all studies. Results were compared with manual ROI analyses. RESULTS: The automatic method was completely reproducible in 64 of 70 cases. The best diagnostic discriminator was the minimum binding ratio of the 2 striatal nuclei, with the following values: NIPS, 1.33+/-0.13; PD, 1.50+/-0.12; healthy volunteers, 1.49+/-0.08 (+/-SD). The deficit size from voxelwise analysis was: NIPS, 20.5+/-8.2 mL; PD, 9.5+/-8.3; healthy volunteers, 8.9+/-6.0 (+/-SD). The accuracy, measured by receiver operating characteristic areas, was 0.85+/-0.05, 0.77+/-0.06, and 0.80+/-0.06 (+/-SE) for the optimal predictor (automated) and 2 blinded observers (manual), respectively. CONCLUSION: A new 3-dimensional, automated technique has been developed to semiquantitate receptor density that dramatically improves reproducibility. The optimal diagnostic discriminator of parkinsonism determined by the automatic technique has good accuracy compared with the manual technique. J Nucl Med 2000 Feb;41(2):220-7 Radau PE, Linke R, Slomka PJ, Tatsch K Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. PMID: 10688103, UI: 20150811 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10688103&dopt=Abstract> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ 613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0