There can be certain conditions that initially mimic "Parkinsonism", but can't be called Parkinson's disease. A label of PD is usually given only when a DAT scan shows extensive loss of dopamine producing neurons, and as we all have brain stem damage in different areas and structures, each case of PD is slightly different, and some cases can't be labelled as PD proper, because they lack certain symptoms which are indicative of loss of Dopamine transport. " there is still a "grey area" (pun intended) in which the symptoms can be properly termed as PD.

So I should ask my neuro for a dat scan?

Ty
Debbir

A DATscan is not definitive for a diagnosis of PD. Nothing is really, anymore. It used to be the presence of Lewy Bodies (mangled dead cells and a misfolded protein or two), but that is now dubious as recent research indicates they may actually be protective.

I was recently rejected by the NIH for any PD research trials, so I had a DATscan which contradicted their clinical "undiagnosis". It can only conclude that you have cell loss that can be PD or another "neurodegenerative disease". That cost me $8,000 which I do not have. IMO, they don't know what we have.

The scans are used to differentiate between a diagnosis of Essential Tremor or other Parkinsonism like diseases such as Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), to my knowledge.