Functional imaging in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

Functional imaging modalities (positron emission tomography, single photon emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional magnetic resonance) allow aspects of regional cerebral function to be evaluated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. This review will summarize the use of such techniques in current imaging studies involving Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, with respect to assessing regional changes, using them in differential diagnosis, and monitoring disease progression and treatment effects.