MRI with low dose radiation?

[Carrollee]

This is what my dad was invited to have after a neurology consult. He has many Parkinson's symptoms but doc not sure if it is vasculitic Parkinson's in which case the drugs won't work. Anyone had this done. He said it would show how much dopamine was available (or something like that). We were given the choice of doing nothing, having an MRI or going straight to a trial of drugs, the doc thought the scan was the best option. He said the contrast that would be injected into him would be a low dose radiation. Any thoughts? Ta cc 🤗

[Juliegrace]

Is it an MRI with contrast or a Datscan? Either way, I would recommend doing the scan. I've had both.

[Xenos in reply to Juliegrace]

Same same.

MRI means no radiation at all.

DaTScan is done by injection of a radioactive solution. The radio activity is very low.

Patients must undergo appropriate thyroid blocking treatment prior to injection to minimize thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine, for example by oral administration of approximately 120 mg potassium iodide 1-4 hours prior to injection and again 12-24 hours post-injection of DaTSCAN.

I had both too.

[Carrollee in reply to Xenos]

Hi Xenos. We were told it would be an MRI brain scan with the use of low dose radiation. So I am a bit confused. No talk of potassium etc but maybe that will come in the letter explaining it. Thank you cc🤗

[Carrollee in reply to Juliegrace]

We were told MRI with contrast. When I asked about it he said they use a low dose radiation. Thanks for response. cc 🤗

[Carrollee in reply to Juliegrace]

Hi juliegrace. Me again. Did you get the information from the MRI that was needed to make the right decision about treatment etc. It's taken 5 years to get my dad any attention. He is soooo exhausted is there anything that can help that. Thank you cc

[Juliegrace in reply to Carrollee]

The MRI with contrast was pre diagnosis and I feel it was a necessary tool for ruling things out. It was done because my pupils were noticeably uneven so there was concern about a possible aneurysm. It was a benign condition. I was 46 at the time so ruling out MS was important. I had the Datscan as part of the PPMI study to prove the Parkinson's diagnosis.

How old is your dad?

[Carrollee in reply to Juliegrace]

Hi, thanks. He's 84 but symptoms started 5years ago when he was a very fit, strong very active outdoor person. Never ill but almost over night became depressed anxious exhausted and had occasional falls for no reason. It progressed until now he can only shuffle and his right foot sticks to the floor regularly. It keeps being put down to old age etc. In the middle of all this he got pulmonary fibrosis, a/f and he had a stroke. However he came out of all this pretty well really with just his original PD (?) symptoms left and a little slower. He could walk and swallow ok ( he can't now) and no freezing they all arrived the next year. I just think he deserves a proper diagnosis and possibly some treatment. He is so exhausted its hard to see.

I hope you are getting on well. It's a bit confusing as the radiation seems to be part if this datscan but he said MRI with radiation. I guess when the paperwork comes thru it will become clearer. Thanks cc