title: Characterizing brain mineral deposition in patients with Wilson disease using susceptibility-weighted imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of characterizing the brain-mineral deposition in patients with Wilson disease (WD) using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 30 WD patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls. Neurological symptoms were scored using the modified Young Scale. The hepatic function indices, serum and urinary copper content, and serum iron content were determined. All study objects received the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and SWI test of the brain. The values of corrected phase (CP) were calculated on SWI. The relationship between CP values and the clinical status were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum iron content of WD patients was higher than the normal. The CP values of substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, and globus pallidus of WD were lower than the normal values, while the CP value of substantia nigra was the lowest. No correlations were determined between the CP values and the iron and copper parameters. There was negative correlation between the scores of dysarthria and the CP values of the globus pallidus. There was negative correlation between the scores of tremor and the CP values of caudate nucleus. Some regions, which had high signals on T2-weighted image, had low signals on SWI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There might be abnormal iron metabolism in patients with WD. The decreased CP values might reflect a deposition of both copper and iron. SWI may be more sensitive than the ordinary MRI. The mineral deposition may contribute to the neural symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The East Area of the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Xue
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hao-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xun-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hai-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiu-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiao-Yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Pu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron