New Insights Into Parkinson's Disease: Coverts with Diffusion Weighted Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have become an important tool in the supporting a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), since it depends on the microscopic mobility of water. PD is a progressively degenerative neurological affection which occurs due to the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of the brain. DWI and DTI detect at particular diffusivity and anisotropy measures in regions that are characterized by the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons. These diffusion measures are an important point for differentiating PD from Atypical Parkinsonism Diseases (APD) as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Here, we review in brief the deficiency in the extranigral and nigral neuronal degeneration in PD and the future impact with DTI and DWI, especially in early stages before onset of the symptoms.