Diagnosing Parkinson's earlier with ultra-high field MRI looks promising

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Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is not easy or straightforward: it can often be hard to distinguish from other diseases. Currently, clinicians have to rely on medical history and neurological examination, as there are no reliable radiologic techniques to aid in diagnosis.

Now, new research suggests a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which shows high-resolution, detailed views of the part of the brain affected by Parkinson's, may help to detect the disease earlier.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder that results from loss of brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical that helps brain cells communicate and control movement.

The disease is characterized by shaking, stiffness, and impaired balance and coordination. There is currently no cure, but early diagnosis would help choose the best course of treatment quickly for many of the millions affected by the disease worldwide.

In this latest study, to be published this week in the journal Radiology, Dr. Mirco Cosottini, of Italy's University of Pisa, and colleagues examined the brains of 38 people, including 17 patients with Parkinson's disease and 21 healthy individuals who acted as controls. They also had a brain specimen from a person who had died.

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Diagnosing Parkinson's earlier with ultra-high field MRI looks promising