title: T1rho and T2rho MRI in the evaluation of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Prior work has shown that adiabatic T(1rho) and T(2rho) relaxation time constants may have sensitivity to cellular changes and the presence of iron, respectively, in Parkinson's disease (PD). Further understanding of these magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods and how they relate to measures of disease severity and progression in PD is needed. Using T(1rho) and T(2rho) on a 4T MRI scanner, we assessed the substantia nigra (SN) of nine non-demented moderately affected PD and ten gender- and age-matched control participants. When compared to controls, the SN of PD subjects had increased T(1rho) and reduced T(2rho). We also found a significant correlation between asymmetric motor features and asymmetry based on T(1rho). This study provides additional validation of T(1rho) and T(2rho) as a means to separate PD from control subjects, and T(1rho) may be a useful marker of asymmetry in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, MMC 295; 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. nestr007@umn.edu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nestrasil
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michaeli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liimatainen
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rydeen
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kotz
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Tuite
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D020820:Dyskinesias / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*