MR findings in the substantia nigra on phase difference enhanced imaging in neurodegenerative parkinsonism.
INTRODUCTION
In Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies using phase difference enhanced imaging (PADRE) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) showed the obscuration of the boundary between the crural fibers and substantia nigra, and the absence of dorsolateral nigral hyperintensity, respectively. PADRE images have not been evaluated in other types of neurodegenerative parkinsonism, and PADRE and SWI images have not been compared. Here we evaluated PADRE and SWI images in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), or PD and controls, and we compared the diagnostic values.


METHODS
PADRE and SWI-like MR images were visually assessed focusing on the substantia nigra in 39 PD patients, eight with PSP, 13 with MSA, and 34 normal controls.


RESULTS
The obscuration of the boundary between the crural fibers and substantia nigra on PADRE was observed in: the PD group, 62%; PSP, 100%; MSA, 60%, and controls, 19%. The overall collect classification for neurodegenerative parkinsonism was 74%. The absence of dorsolateral nigral hyperintensity on SWI-like images was present in: PD, 97%; PSP, 100%; MSA, 67%; and controls, 6%, resulting in the overall correct classification of 96%.


CONCLUSIONS
The MR feature on PADRE was observed not only in PD but also in other neurodegenerative parkinsonism, especially in PSP with high sensitivity. The finding in substantia nigra on SWI had greater discrimination power than that of PADRE in neurodegenerative parkinsonism, especially in PD.
['Sugiyama|Atsuhiko|A|', 'Sato|Noriko|N|', 'Kimura|Yukio|Y|', 'Ota|Miho|M|', 'Maekawa|Tomoko|T|', 'Sone|Daichi|D|', 'Enokizono|Mikako|M|', 'Murata|Miho|M|', 'Matsuda|Hiroshi|H|', 'Kuwabara|Satoshi|S|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D018450:Disease Progression D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D019578:Multiple System Atrophy D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales D015203:Reproducibility of Results D012720:Severity of Illness Index D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric D013378:Substantia Nigra D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive
Substantia nigra Phase difference enhanced imaging Parkinson's disease Progressive supranuclear palsy Multiple system atrophy