{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Current Tools for Receiving a Parkinson\u2019s Diagnosis","description":"Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) is a \u201cclinical\u201d diagnosis, based on a person\u2019s medical history, symptoms, and physical exam. Although certain laboratory or imaging tests can be helpful in reaching a diagnosis, no single test can confirm PD. Among the tests currently used to support a PD diagnosis, or to rule out other conditions that can mimic PD, are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, the dopamine transporter scan (DaTscan) to look at how dopamine is transported in certain areas of the brain, Syn-One, or skin biopsies, and blood work. Sometimes, a PD diagnosis is straightforward based on the presence of certain symptoms, but in other cases, it may take a number of clinic visits to make a definitive diagnosis. The best way to ensure a correct diagnosis of PD, or a similar condition, is to see a neurologist specializing in movement disorders. One of the leading Parkinson\u2019s specialists is Dr. Michael Okun, National Medical Advisor for the Parkinson\u2019s Foundation and Director of the Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In this podcast episode, he explains some of the current tools for making a Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis, how they are used, and some of their limitations. Follow and rate us on your favorite podcast platform to be notified when there\u2019s a new episode! Let us know what other topics you would like us to cover by visiting parkinson.org\/feedback. ","author_name":"Substantial Matters: Life & Science of Parkinson\u2019s","author_url":"http:\/\/parkinson.org\/podcast","html":"