Volume quantification of 123I-DaTSCAN imaging by MatLab for the differentiation and grading of parkinsonism and essential tremor

123I-DaTSCAN imaging studies have shown the ability to detect loss of striatal dopamine transporters. Aim of this work is to evaluate whether mathematical approach of striatum imaging data by Matlab program processing can differentiate between parkinsonian syndromes, of various stages, and essential tremor, and thus increase diagnostic accuracy. The extraction of parameters by digitized processing of 123I-DaTSCAN (123I-ioflupane) images to differentiate between parkinsonism and essential tremor and evaluation of SPECT imaging of the dopamine transporters (DAT) in vivo, will produce a display of pattern recognition. Eccentricity, major & minor axis length, orientation, area, equivalent diameter and integral intensity of both left & right ganglia were determined. A specific ratio of both ganglia parameters gives a classification indication and contributes in diagnosis decision.