parkinson's Archives - SpinTech

Imaging iron and neuromelanin simultaneously using a single 3D gradient echo magnetization transfer sequence: Combining neuromelanin, iron and the nigrosome-1 sign as complementary imaging biomarkers in early stage Parkinson’s disease

Diagnosing early stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still a clinical challenge. Our goal in this study was to extract the NM complex volume, iron content and volume representing the entire SN, and the N1 sign as potential complementary imaging biomarkers using a single 3D magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) gradient echo sequence and to evaluate their diagnostic performance and clinical correlations in early stage PD.

NeuroImage Features STAGE Research on Cover of Sept 2020 Issue

News & Events, Papers

The SpinTech team is excited to announce that one of our recent papers made the cover of NeuroImage September 2020 issue! The paper features the use of our STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) MRI software technology in Parkinson’s research to track…

Imaging the Nigrosome 1 in the substantia nigra using susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping: An application to Parkinson’s disease

Papers

The purpose of this study was to create a robust high quality, rapid imaging protocol, determine a slice by slice characterization of the appearance of N1 (the “N1 sign”) and evaluate the loss of the N1 sign in order to differentiate healthy controls (HCs) from patients with PD.

Visualizing the lateral habenula using susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping

Papers

The habenulae consist of a pair of small nuclei which bridge the limbic forebrain and midbrain monoaminergic centers. They are implicated in major depressive disorders due to abnormal phasic response when provoked by a conditioned stimulus.

Optimizing neuromelanin contrast in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus using a magnetization transfer contrast prepared 3D gradient recalled echo sequence

Papers

Neuromelanin (NM) loss in the substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC) is being investigated as an imaging biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD) using magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) magnetic resonance imaging. The goal of this paper was to optimize the NM contrast in the SN and LC as a function of flip angle using a 3D GRE MTC strategically acquired gradient echo (STAGE) imaging approach.

Vascular, flow and perfusion abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease

Papers

Reduced flow into the brain or decreased jugular venous outflow from the brain may serve as a potential biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our goal was to compare the presence of vascular abnormalities, flow, and increases in midbrain iron content (a hallmark of the disease) in patients with PD.

Regional High Iron in the Substantia Nigra Differentiates Parkinson’s Disease Patients From Healthy Controls

Papers

Iron is important in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) specifically related to degeneration of the substantia nigra (SN). The goal of this work was to use quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and R2∗ to quantify both global and regional brain iron in PD patients and healthy controls (HC) to ascertain if regional changes correlate with clinical conditions and can be used to discriminate patients from controls.

Different Iron-Deposition Patterns of Multiple System Atrophy with Predominant Parkinsonism and Idiopathetic Parkinson Diseases Demonstrated by Phase-Corrected Susceptibility- Weighted Imaging

Papers

MSA-P and IPD have similar clinical presentations that may complicate accurate clinical diagnosis. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the different iron-deposition patterns of MSA-P and IPD by using SWI phase images.