The DaTSCAN has been used clinically throughout Europe since 2000, initially for patients with suspected Parkinson's disease (PD) and latterly for suspected Lewy body dementia (DLB).  Clinical trials have shown that the investigation is extremely useful and, to this end, NICE recommended this investigation in patients with suspected PD and suspected DLB in 2006.  In the same year, the findings from the DaTSCAN were incorporated into clinical diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of DLB; in itself a reflection of the considerable esteem in which the findings from this study are held by the referring clinicians.
 
The British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS) has been in discussion with the UK neurology fraternity and British Movement Disorder Group following concerns about the lack of quality assurance for both the acquisition and reporting of these investigations.