title: Improved visibility of the subthalamic nucleus on high-resolution stereotactic MR imaging by added susceptibility (T2*) contrast using multiple gradient echoes.
abstract: Reliable identification of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a critical step in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease but difficult on T1-weighted stereotactic MR imaging. By simultaneous imaging of multiple gradient echoes, susceptibility contrast is added to conventional T1-weighted high-resolution MR image. Thus, the visibility of the STN is enhanced on a second co-localized dataset by exploiting the sensitivity of the T2*-relaxation to local iron deposits. The feasibility is underpinned by quantitative measurements on healthy adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elolf
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bockermann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gringel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knauth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dechent
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Helms
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*