Quantitative susceptibility mapping reveals an association between iron load in gray matter nuclei and different cerebral perfusion patterns

The main purpose was to explore iron alterations in gray matter (GM) nucleus of patients with unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis or occlusion with varied cerebral perfusion states using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). Sixty-one patients with unilateral MCA stenosis or occlusion were divided into three groups based on different cerebral perfusion patterns and examined with QSM. Iron-related susceptibility of GM nucleus subregions were assessed. The results showed that iron deposition in bilateral putamen and globus pallidus at the lesion side significantly increased in patients with extensive impaired but not hypo- or normal cerebral perfusion.