This could be a huge advancement in both PD diagnosis and progression analysis.

An image similar in shape to a Swallow's tail has been identified as a new and accurate test for Parkinson's disease. The image, which depicts the healthy state of a group of cells in the sub-region of the human brain, was singled out using 3T MRI scanning technology – standard equipment in clinical settings today.

'The 'Swallow Tail' Appearance of the Healthy Nigrosome – A New Accurate Test of Parkinson's Disease: A Case-Control and Retrospective Cross-Sectional MRI Study at 3T' – describes how the absence of this imaging sign can help to diagnose Parkinson's disease using standard clinical Magnetic Resonance Scanners.

Until now diagnosing Parkinson's in clinically uncertain cases has been limited to expensive nuclear medical techniques. The diagnosis can be challenging early in the course of the condition and in tremor dominant cases. Other non-licensed diagnostic techniques offer a varying range of accuracy, repeatability and reliability but none of them have demonstrated the required accuracy and ease of use to allow translation into standard clinical practice.

Using high resolution, ultra high filed 7T magnetic resonance imaging the Nottingham research team has already pinpointed the characteristic pathology of Parkinson's with structural change in a small area of the mid brain known as the substantia nigra. The latest study has shown that these changes can also be detected using 3T MRI technology which is accessible in hospitals across the country. They subsequently coined the phrase the 'swallow tail appearance' as an easy recognizable sign of the healthy appearing substantia nigra which is lost in Parkinson's disease. A total of 114 high-resolution scans were reviewed and in 94 per cent of cases the diagnosis was accurately made using this technique.

http://bit.ly/1fpCmId

sure wish they had shown a scan of a brain missing the swallow-tail sign...that way those of us who had copies of our MRIs could look at them and see if our dx was correct or not (why not play radiologist as well, we already play white rat). if anyone has an image of what it looks like without that swallow tail, meaning PD is present, please post a link, thanks.

Here you go lurking. Go to the Figures section:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0093814

I do not have an MRI of my brain, but I have a Flora Dopa Pet Scan in my hand.

Does this "Swallow Tail" show on this scan by chance?

Probably me, but those MRIs look like sonograms! So many hades of gray...hard to see what is what. Thanks for the link,