title: Echogenicity of basal ganglia structures in different Huntington's disease phenotypes.
abstract: In Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative-inherited disease, chorea as the typical kind of movement disorder is described. Beside chorea, however, all other kinds of movement disturbances, such as bradykinesia, dystonia, tremor or myoclonus can occur. Aim of the current study was to investigate alterations in the echogenicity of basal ganglia structures in different Huntington's disease phenotypes. 47 patients with manifest and genetically confirmed HD were recruited. All participants underwent a thorough neurological examination. According to a previously described method, classification into predominantly choreatic, mixed or bradykinetic-rigid motor phenotypes was performed depending on subscores of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale. In addition, findings in juvenile HD were compared to adult HD. Transcranial sonography was performed by investigators blinded to clinical classification. There were no significant differences in basal ganglia echogenicities between the three phenotypes. Size of echogenic area of substantia nigra (SN) correlated positively with CAG repeat and bradykinesia subscore, and negatively with age of onset and chorea subscore. Comparing juvenile and adult HD subtypes, SN hyperechogenicity was significantly more often detectable in the juvenile form (100 vs. 29.3 %, p = 0.002). Regarding echogenicity of caudate or lentiform nuclei, no significant differences were detected. HD patients with the juvenile variant exhibit marked hyperechogenicity of substantia nigra. No significant differences in basal ganglia echogenicities between predominantly choreatic, mixed or bradykinetic-rigid motor phenotypes were detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Huntington Centre NRW, Ruhr-University Bochum, St. Josef-Hospital, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791, Bochum, Germany, carsten.saft@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saft
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strassburger-Krogias
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lücke
authors.forename: Saskia H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Meves
authors.forename: Gisa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ellrichmann
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krogias
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002819:Chorea / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D018476:Hypokinesia / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult