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Incidental evidence of hypointensity in brain grey nuclei on routine MR imaging: when to suspect a neurodegenerative disorder?

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Abstract

Deep grey nuclei of the human brain accumulate minerals both in aging and in several neurodegenerative diseases. Mineral deposition produces a shortening of the transverse relaxation time which causes hypointensity on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The physician often has difficulties in determining whether the incidental hypointensity of grey nuclei seen on MR images is related to aging or neurodegenerative pathology. We investigated the hypointensity patterns in globus pallidus, putamen, caudate nucleus, thalamus and dentate nucleus of 217 healthy subjects (ages, 20-79 years; men/women, 104/113) using 3T MR imaging. Hypointensity was detected more frequently in globus pallidus (35.5%) than in dentate nucleus (32.7%) and putamen (7.8%). A consistent effect of aging on hypointensity (p < 0.001) of these grey nuclei was evident. Putaminal hypointensity appeared only in elderly subjects whereas we did not find hypointensity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus of any subject. In conclusion, the evidence of hypointensity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus at any age or hypointensity in the putamen seen in young subjects should prompt the clinician to consider a neurodegenerative disease.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy

    Maurizio Morelli, Andrea Quattrone, Gennarina Arabia, Alessandro Mechelli & Antonio Gambardella

  2. Neuroscience Centre, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy

    Maurizio Morelli, Gennarina Arabia & Aldo Quattrone

  3. Biotecnomed, S.C.aR.L, Catanzaro, Italy

    Basilio Vescio

  4. Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy

    Maria Grazia Vaccaro, Federico Rocca, Antonio Gambardella & Aldo Quattrone

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  1. Maurizio Morelli
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  2. Andrea Quattrone
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  3. Gennarina Arabia
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Conceptualization: all authors; methodology: Aldo Quattrone; formal analysis and investigation: all authors; writing–original draft preparation: Maurizio Morelli and Aldo Quattrone; writing-review and editing: all authors; supervision: Aldo Quattrone.

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Correspondence to Aldo Quattrone.

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This research involved human participants. All procedures performed in this study that involved human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Italy. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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The authors declare that this manuscript is original, has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication anywhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright-holder. All authors whose names appear on the submission made substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or drafted the work, or revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors approved the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Morelli, M., Quattrone, A., Arabia, G. et al. Incidental evidence of hypointensity in brain grey nuclei on routine MR imaging: when to suspect a neurodegenerative disorder?. Neurol Sci 43, 643–650 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05292-1

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