7T MRI Reveals Abnormal Iron Deposition and Microstructure in Premanifest and Manifest Huntington’s Disease

We used QSM and DTI at 7T to investigate iron dysregulation and microstructure disruption in subcortical regions in Huntington’s disease (HD). We observed significant volume loss and increased iron deposition in the striatum and globus pallidus, and increased FA in the striatum. The deep cerebellar nuclei (dentate nuclei) showed a unique transient increase in volume and susceptibility in premanifest patients, implicating it as a new marker of HD disease progression that is sensitive to the pre-symptomatic window of HD. We also found varying relationships between imaging features in different brain regions, warranting further analyses of subregional changes.