A. Numao 1, K. Suzuki 1, H. Takekawa 2, M. Miyamoto 1, T. Miyamoto 3, M. Iwanami 3, E. Takada 4, K. Hirata 1
1 Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University – Tochigi, Japan
2 Stroke Division, Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University – Tochigi, Japan
3 Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital – Saitama, Japan
4 Center of Medical Ultrasonics, Dokkyo Medical University – Tochigi, Japan

Objective: In Parkinson's disease (PD), transcranial sonography (TCS) has been used to evaluate substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity as a diagnostic tool. To quantify SN hyperechogenicity in patients with PD and Parkinsonian syndrome (PS), we applied semi-quantified evaluation method.

U. Walter
University of Rostock, Department of Neurology – Rostock, Germany

Transcranial B-mode sonography (TCS) is a non-invasive, low-cost, short-duration neuroimaging method that allows high-resolution imaging of deep brain structures in patients with inflammatory and degenerative brain diseases. Hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN), a TCS findings present in about 90% of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), is already present in presymptomatic disease stages. SN hyperechogenicity has been demonstrated to correlate with iron accumulation in a number of brain disorders but also with microglia activation.