OBJECTIVES: The primary objective is to evaluate health, non-health cost and utilities differences between Parkinson patients with diagnosis performed through SPECT (Single Proton Emission Computerized Tomography) and patients diagnosed traditionally. METHODS: This economic analysis is part of the prospective, multicentre, observational study DIAPASON (Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease: Economics and Outcomes Impact), which involved 17 neurology centers. The present poster presents the preliminary economic results. Inclusion criteria: all subjects with suspect parkinsonism, “de novo” patients or in dopaminergic therapy for 3 months at the most. Exclusion criteria: subject with dementia senile, subjects treated with antidopaminergic drugs, subjects with iatrogenic forms of disease already known or clear vascular lesions of substantia nigra or caudato or putamen. The prospectives used in the study were: national health system (NHS) and society. Data were collected using an electronic case report form. Utilities were calculated using the EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire. RESULTS: In November 2004, 147 patients (50 NO SPECT, 97 SPECT) had already performed the second visit. For both first and second visit the total cost for patients with diagnosis performed through SPECT was higher than that obtained for patients diagnosed traditionally: the mean health cost supported by NHS per patient was €2,577.79 (€1,562.63 for NO SPECT patients and €3,024.00 for SPECT ones), and mean non health cost obtained per patient was €3,553.56 (€3923.44 for SPECT patients, €2712.08 for NO SPECT patients). For subjects diagnosed traditionally the cost per QALYs gained was €36,225.2 compared to €15,291.6 for SPECT patients group. CONCLUSION: The introduction of new technologies, as SPECT, and the use of new radiolabelled drugs concur to improve early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and related diseases. Diagnosis using SPECT has health and non health cost higher than traditional diagnosis, but a cost-utility analysis demonstrate its cost saving role in comparison with traditional diagnosis.