[Magnetic resonance tomography in patients with Parkinson's disease and Parkinson-plus syndromes].

PURPOSE: To define characteristic MR-findings in patients with clinically typical extrapyramidal movement disorders.

METHODS: 15 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 9 with multisystem atrophy (MSA), and 6 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) underwent MRI using a 1.5 T. Magnetom unit. Two investigators analysed the images with special regard to global and/or focal atrophy and to changes in signal intensity of the CNS in the consensus mode. Normal images of 10 subjects served as controls to patient's images.

RESULTS: In all patients with PSP and MSA characteristic pathological findings on MRI were observed including regional changes within the extrapyramidal nuclei. In contrast all patients with PD had an unremarkable MRI study of the CNS.

CONCLUSION: MRI enables us to define characteristic morphological changes of the brain in patients with extrapyramidal movement disorders. Early recognition of these findings avoids misdiagnoses in patients who are difficult to diagnose.