Susceptibility Mapping of the Substantia Nigra in Parkinson Patients At 7T After One Year of Diagnosis & Treatment

Andreas Schfer¹, Derek V. Ott², Almut Focke², Johannes Schwarz², David Weise², Robert Turner¹, Sonja A. Kotz¹

Pathological studies have shown that the iron content in the Substantia Nigra is increased in Parkinson patients. It has been shown that susceptibility mapping may indicate a higher iron concentration of the SN in vivo in clinically diagnosed but not medicated PD patients compared to young healthy volunteers. Here we present results of a continuing study by calculating the susceptibility of the SN of an age-matched control group, and also comparing the susceptibility values of the patients after one year of diagnosis and treatment.