[¹²³I]-FP-CIT SPECT and olfaction test in patients with combined postural and rest tremor

Mixed-type tremors pose a clinical diagnostic challenge. The aim of the study was to better characterize patients with combined postural and rest tremor. Patients were categorized into four groups: essential tremor (ET) (n = 7), combined rest + postural tremor (n = 17), PD (n = 17), and control subjects (n = 9). All underwent the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). The mixed-tremor group was also evaluated with SPECT imaging using the dopamine transporter (DaT) ligand ¹²³I-labeled FP-CIT. There was no significant difference in olfaction scores between the mixed tremor and essential tremor groups (23.2 ± 6.6 vs 21.7 ± 4.9) or between these groups and controls (27.2 ± 5.0). The patients with PD had significantly lower scores than all the other groups (13.7 ± 5.4, p < 0.001). Of the 12 patients with mixed tremor evaluated by SPECT, 9 had normal findings. This study suggests that rest tremor is part of the spectrum of ET, even in patients with long-standing disease. However, in a minority of patients, there might be transformation of ET-PD.