The effects of oblique scanning on susceptibility weighted Imaging (SWI) visualization of Nigrosome-1 used in Neurodegenerative disease diagnosis

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a pivotal tool in neurological imaging, offering unparalleled insights into brain microstructures, particularly in Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis. This study investigates the influence of slice orientations specifically True Axial and Anatomical Axial on the detection of the Swallow Tail Sign (STS) using SWI. Originally known as High-resolution venography, SWI is now crucial for detecting tissue anomalies in neurodegenerative diseases like PD. A study focused on improving visualization of brain structures related to Parkinson's disease using optimized SWI scans. Materials and Methods: 20 patients were scanned, but only 12 met the criteria for analysis. Results indicated a preference for True Axial orientation in visualizing structures, but the difference was not statistically significant. This suggests True Axial orientation may improve the visualization of structures in the brain. Discussion: The present findings support a potential practical bias toward the True Axial orientation to achieve improved STS detection accuracy. But they should be investigated further with larger cohorts to validate and refine imaging protocols. Optimal slice orientations in SWI may help improve diagnostic accuracy in PD, especially at centers where 3T scanners are not accessible.