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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Visualizing with MR imaging and obtaining quantitative indexes of degeneration of the substantia nigra in Parkinson disease have been long-sought goals. We investigated the potential role of area and T1 contrast measurements in differentiating patients from controls and their age-related changes.

METHODS: Eight patients with Parkinson disease, 8 age-matched controls, and 8 young controls were imaged. We obtained the pixel-wise difference between 2 sets of inversion-recovery images, acquired parallel to the bicommissural plane, with different inversion times. Pixel-intensity ratios between lateral and medial nigral regions, and nigral area and substantia-nigra/midbrain area ratios were computed.

RESULTS: Compared with that of controls, loss of substantia nigra was evident in patients, its borders taking a smoother and more irregular appearance. Patients were characterized …