ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The value of structural and functional imaging for diagnosing, understanding, and managing parkinsonian disorders and their complications is discussed in this chapter. It is argued that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial sonography (TCS), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) all can play a valuable role in supporting clinical diagnoses of parkinsonian disorders when there is question and providing a rationale for the use of dopaminergic medications. Imaging can also detect subclinical disease activity in at-risk subjects and potentially monitor the functional effects of putative neuroprotective and restorative therapies.
