Quantitative susceptibility mapping for the evaluation of subcortical iron abnormality in Parkinson's Disease with Dementia

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients may develop other non-motor comorbidities when the disease progress. While increased nigral iron was considered as a biomarker of the disease, it was also believed that iron deposition is associated with the development of other non-motor symptoms. In this study, magnetic susceptibility as a surrogate of iron concentration was measured in six major subcortical brain regions on the QSM images. Increased magnetic susceptibilities were observed in hippocampus and amygdala of the PD patients with dementia, suggesting a possible association of iron with the development of dementia symptom in late stage of PD.