[Neuromelanin-related contrast in the substantia nigra semiquantitatively evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging at 3T: comparison between normal aging and Parkinson disease].

Fast spin-echo (FSE) T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T, which was optimized to detect neuromelanin-related contrast (NRC), was applied to quantitative estimation of signal alterations in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of 72 normal volunteers and 59 patients with Parkinson disease (PD). We examined relationship between NRC in SNc and clinical parameters. The NRC showed significant positive correlation with normal aging and was slightly but significantly higher in women than in men.