Volumetric Study of Substantia Nigra on 3T MRI across different Movement Disorders

Motivation: This study aims to quantitatively assess Substantia Nigra (SN) integrity across different movement disorders. Goal(s): The objective was to investigate SN integrity using magnetic susceptibility sequences (susceptibility weighted imaging - SWI) in patients with different movement disorders, comparing findings to a healthy control group. Approach: Manual segmentations were performed on acquired SWI sequences using MRICRON software, resulting in two volumes of interest (VOIs). Results: Patients with movement disorders primarily affecting SN showed a significant reduction in volume compared to healthy controls. Impact: Accurately evaluating volumetric alterations of the substantia nigra in patients with movement disorders of different etiology could significantly enhance differential diagnosis. This may improve the accuracy of early diagnosis, potentially even in pre-morbid conditions, as well as optimize treatment monitoring.