title: Quantitative assessment of iron deposition in Parkinson's disease using enhanced T2 star-weighted angiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been reported that R2* is a sensitive marker for iron deposition. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess iron deposition in Parkinson's disease (PD) using changes of R2* in enhanced T2 star-weighted angiography (ESWAN) and to discuss the value of ESWAN for PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four primary PD patients and twenty-eight healthy individuals were examined by ESWAN in the 3·0 T magnetic resonance imaging system. The R2* values were measured from the deep gray nuclei (including the substantia nigra [SN], red nuclei, globus pallidus, putamina, caudate nuclei, and thalami). The unified PD rating scale (UPDRS) III assessment, the nonmotor symptoms scale (NMSS), and the mini mental state examination (MMSE) were used to rate all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparison of the R* values between the deep gray nuclei on the same side of the PD patients and the control group revealed significant differences in the SN and red nuclei (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between Hoehn and Yahr (HY) 1 and HY2-4 patients in terms of the values of the SN. There was a slight correlation between the R* values of the SN of the PD patients (HY >1) and the UPDRS III ratings. No correlation between the R* signal values in the PD patients and the NMSS and MMSE scales was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron concentrations in the regions of interest may represent the severity of the PD motor symptoms, and whether they are related to the nonmotor symptoms remains a question for further investigation. ESWAN offers special advantages in determining iron depositions in the brain and in enabling a sensitive diagnosis of PD, although further study is necessary.
authors.forename: Suqiong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhijuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Qingmei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wenzhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Suiqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007501:Iron