NEURODEGENERATION WITH BRAIN IRON ACCUMULATION: T2 RELAXOMETRY AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

The deposition of iron in the basal ganglia is an age-dependent physiological event, however, increased deposits has been shown in the central nervous system in many neurodegenerative diseases (including Friedreich's Ataxia FA, Machado-Joseph Disease MJD, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS and Parkinson's Disease PD) and, in this context, the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) trhough the analyses of transversal relaxation time (RT2) can be a powerfull diagnostic tool by the detection of brain iron deposits. We selected 191 patients (32 AF, 48 MJD, 58 ALS, 53 PD) and compared four structures of basal ganglia (thalamus, dentate nucleus, pallidum and substantia nigra) RT2 values with control group (n = 207, using normal values from previous study of the same group of researchers), trying to determine paterns of brain iron depositions that can be used as diagnostic tool. We found statistically significance in the avaliation of left dentate nucleus in FA patients (p = 0,03), rght substantia nigra in MJD (p = 0,01) and left thalamus in ALS (0,01), with probable physiopathological and clinical correlations. The RT2 MRI is a relevant technique in the evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases and can be used as an important diagnostic tool in the clinical practice.