Cortical-basal ganglionic degeneration:radiological and functional features

Abstract

Background. Cortico-basal ganglionic degeneration is a rare degenerative pathology that involves parietal areas and gradually determines frontal involvement. The aim of our work was to describe the main radiological findings in this pathology and to evaluate the cortical activation in these patients by f-MRI during simple and complex movements.

Patients and methods. We have evaluated eight patients with morphological and functional magnetic resonance by using a 1.5 T imager.

Results. Morphological evaluation: We found an asymmetric perirolandic cortical atrophy in seven patients, a mild hyperintensity in the perirolandic cortex in five patients, a mild atrophy of the basal ganglia in seven patients and, in one, a hypointensity in the lenticular nuclei. In one patient the morphological aspect was normal. Functional evaluation: The most important aspect was the hypoactivation of the parietal areas during the movement with the affected hand in all the patients.

Conclusions. We consider f-MRI a helpful tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of this pathology.