DEGENERATION OF SUBSTANTIA-NIGRA IN CHRONIC PARKINSONS-DISEASE VISUALIZED BY TRANSCRANIAL COLOR-CODED REAL-TIME SONOGRAPHY

To detect morphologic abnormalities in Parkinson's disease (PD), we examined 30 patients with PD and 30 age- and sex-matched nonparkisonian controls by transcranial color-coded real-time sonography (TCCS). In 12 severely affected PD patients, the echogenicity of the substantia nigra was distinctly increased. In the remaining 18 PD patients and in all controls, the substantia nigra was poorly visualized or nondetectable by TCCS. The degree of hyperechogenicity of the substania nigra closely correlated with the severity and duration of PD (p < 0.001). The increased echogenicity of the substania nigra notably results from nigral gliosis and reflects the stage of degeneration.