Utilizing synthetic MRI and brain regional analysis for early Parkinson's disease diagnosis

Motivation: Early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) is crucial, and MRI has been a valuable tool. Synthetic MRI, allows for comprehensive analysis of brain regions, offering potential for early diagnosis. Goal(s): Evaluate the feasibility of synthetic MRI in early PD diagnosis by studying brain regions. Approach: 31 PD patients and 25 controls underwent MRI. Synthetic MRI provided T1, T2, and PrD maps. Brain regions were analyzed and a combined diagnostic model was developed. Results: Differences in T1 and T2 values were found in the calcarine, cuneus, and hippocampus. The model achieved an AUC of 0.930, suggesting synthetic MRI-derived parameters can serve as biomarkers. Impact: The combined diagnosis using T1 and T2 values in specific brain regions effectively distinguished early-stage Parkinson's disease (ESP) from healthy controls (HC). This suggests that synthetic MRI-derived parameters have the potential to serve as precise early PD diagnostic biomarkers.