Jersey Shore University Medical Center adds advanced technology to detect movement disorders

Photo of CT Scanner and Nuclear Medicine Technology
From left to right, Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT) Andrei Zamora and CNMT’s Jason Guess prepare a CT scanner with a DaTscan camera for imaging a patient in the HOPE Tower at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

“DaTscan allows us to understand dopamine metabolism deep in the brain, which may be useful in diagnosing certain neurological disorders,” said Shabbar F. Danish, MD, FAANS, chief of neurosurgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

From left to right, Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT) Andrei Zamora and CNMT’s Jason Guess prepare a CT scanner with a DaTscan camera for imaging a patient in the HOPE Tower at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Neptune, NJ, October 6, 2022…The Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center Neuroscience Institute recently added a new, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging system to its nuclear medicine program. One of the most advanced diagnostic imaging technologies available, GE Healthcare’s DaTscantm camera utilizes single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to visualize dopamine transporter levels in the brain. It enables clinicians to view the brain with exceptional clarity while using low doses of radiation.

“In Parkinson’s disease, the dopamine transporter is constantly diminished in the brain. The dopamine transporter (DaT) mediates the flow of the neurotransmitter dopamine between nerve cells,” said Hackensack, chair of neurology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center Alan Colicchio, MD, Medical Director, Meridian Neuroscience Care Transformation Services healthy, South Market. “Loss of DaT disrupts communication between nerve cells and the transmission of information from the brain to the muscles, leading to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.”

“DaTscan allows us to understand dopamine metabolism deep in the brain, which may be useful in diagnosing certain neurological disorders,” said Shabbar F. Danish, MD, FAANS, chief of neurosurgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “This is a great tool for our clinicians and a game changer in our patient care.”

PhD. Danes lead the Surgical Movement Disorders Program at the Academic Medical Center. Movement disorders refer to a group of neurological disorders that cause abnormal, increased or decreased body movements, often involuntary. The three main diseases are Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. The program’s multidisciplinary team of specialists, including neurologists, nurse practitioners, neuropsychologists and neurorehabilitation specialists, provide a range of medical and surgical treatments to specifically address and manage movement disorders. They include complex medical management, Botox, deep brain stimulation (DBS), MRI-guided laser therapy, physical, occupational and speech therapy, and nutritional counseling.

“This is a great example of how we can equip all of our clinical specialists with the tools and resources they need to provide our patients with the best possible care and treatment,” said Jersey Shore University President and Chief Hospital Executive, London National Institutes of Health MPA Vito Buccellato said Medical Center.

The Neuroscience Institute provides patients with comprehensive services for spinal injuries, concussions, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain tumors, memory, and more, as well as the only stroke rescue center in the region. Jersey Shore University Medical Center has been named one of the 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care in the U.S. by Healthgrades and has received the Neuroscience Excellence Award in 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well as the new Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award in 2022.

Kenneth N. Sable, MD, MBA, FACEP, Regional President, Southern Markets, Hackensack Meridian healthy.

To schedule an appointment with a movement disorder program specialist at Jersey Shore University Medical Center HOPE Tower, 19 Davis Avenue, Neptune, NJ, call 732-974-0003. For more information, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/Services/Neurosciences/Parkinsons-Movement-Disorders.

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