Substantia nigra hyperechogenecity in Huntington's disease

Substantia nigra hyperechogenecity can be detected by transcranial sonography (TCS) in the early diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). It was investigated whether other patients presenting clinically with hypokinetic rigid syndromes also show similar changes in TCS of the brainstem. A group of Huntington's disease (HD) patients with unilateral hypokinetic-rigid symptoms showed hyperechogenecity of the contralateral substantia nigra. Two of these patients also displayed choreatic movements, while the remaining patients were exclusively characterized by hypokinesia. HD patients with classic chorea who…