significance of iron deposition in basal ganglia

[Dr.Bevo]

What is the significance / cause of iron deposition in the basal ganglia? In my PBL case today, we got an MRI of a guy who ended up having Parkinson's disease. The T2 image found nothing except that the putamen and globus pallidus were "hypointense" and the radiologist's report said it was probably related to iron deposition in the area.

I got assigned the task of figuring out why iron deposits there and what conditions that would be associated with. I'm starting to think it's just a non-specific finding. I've been unable to locate anything in the usual sources - please help.

Any ideas out there?

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[Idiopathic]

Iron is actually in relatively high concentration in the BG/caudate/etc., and it appears that it either accumulates as a result of oxidative injury (i.e. post-Parkinsons) or that its accumulation could cause Parkinson's (i.e. pre-Parkinson's). I think there is some eMedicine stuff out there about this. I remember looking it up when studying for boards.

 

[tum]

iron deposition can also be from old micro-infarcts.