Substantia Nigra Elasticity Measurement Using Transcranial Shear Wave Elastography: A Potential Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) lacks reliable biomarkers. This study investigated substantia nigra (SN) elasticity using shear wave elastography (SWE) as a novel diagnostic tool for PD.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the role of SN elasticity values in the diagnosis of PD and their correlation with disease severity, duration, and iron metabolism indicators.

METHODS

This study included PD patients diagnosed and treated at Tongji Hospital's Neurology Department and healthy controls from January 2021 to December 2022. SWE was used to measure the elasticity of the SN and surrounding midbrain regions. Differences in elasticity between the two groups were analyzed, along with correlations between SN elasticity and age, hyperechoic area of SN, iron metabolism markers, and disease duration.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients with PD and 106 healthy controls who could undergo transcranial ultrasound elastography were enrolled. The PD group demonstrated significantly elevated SN elasticity values (20.43 ± 3.94 kPa vs. 10.72 ± 1.86 kPa, P < 0.001) compared with controls. The SN elasticity value demonstrated higher classification performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.87-0.98) compared with the hyperechogenic area of SN (AUC: 0.884, 95% CI: 0.85-0.92). The elasticity values of the SN in the PD group were positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.503, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

SN elasticity values are a promising classification biomarker for PD, showing a significant association with disease duration and improving classification performance. These findings highlight the potential of biomechanical properties in neurodegenerative disease assessment and call for further validation in larger cohorts. © 2025 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.