Homayoon N, Pirpamer L, Franthal S, Katschnig‐Winter P, Kögl M, Seiler S, Wenzel K, Hofer E, Deutschmann H, Fazekas F, Langkammer C, Ropele S, Schmidt R, Schwingenschuh P. Nigral iron deposition in common tremor disorders.
Mov Disord 2019;
34:129-132. [PMID:
30536988 PMCID:
PMC6590652 DOI:
10.1002/mds.27549]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
We investigated R2* relaxation rates as a marker of iron content in the substantia nigra in patients with common tremor disorders and explored their diagnostic properties.
METHODS
Mean nigral R2* rates were measured in 40 patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD), 15 with tremor in dystonia, 25 with essential tremor, and 25 healthy controls.
RESULTS
Tremor-dominant PD patients had significantly higher nigral R2* values (34.1 ± 5.7) than those with tremor in dystonia (30.0 ± 3.9), essential tremor (30.6 ± 4.8), and controls (30.0 ± 2.8). An R2* threshold of 31.15 separated tremor-dominant PD from controls with a sensitivity and specificity of 67.5% and 72%. The sensitivity and specificity for discrimination between PD and non-PD tremor patients was 67.5% and 60%.
CONCLUSION
Iron content in the substantia nigra is significantly higher in tremor-dominant PD than in tremor in dystonia, essential tremor, and controls. Because of the considerable overlap, nigral R2* cannot be suggested as a useful diagnostic tool. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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