DECREASED I-123 IMP CAUDATE-NUCLEUS UPTAKE IN PATIENTS WITH HUNTINGTONS-DISEASE

To determine whether I-123 isopropyl iodoamphetamine (IMP) uptake is reduced in the basal ganglia of patients with Huntington''s disease compared with that in aged-matched normal and abnormal control subjects, a caudate ratio was defined that compared the average separation (in pixel units) between the midline and the left and right caudate heads to the width of the brain as measured on transaxial cross-sections of I-123 IMP SPECT brain images. For six patients with Huntington''s disease, the average caudate ratio was 29.0% (SD .+-. 2.7%), significantly higher than that for 12 normal volunteer subjects (average caudate ratio, 19.1% .+-. 3.5%; p < 0.001) and 13 patients with a variety of other neurologic disorders (average caudate ratio, 19.3 .+-. 2.2%; p < 0.001).