Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity and brain ventricular size as biomarkers of early dementia with Lewy bodies

Table 3 Comparison of sonographic parameters between DLB, MCI-DLB, AD and controls

	MCI-DLB (n = 15)	DLB (n = 8)	AD (n = 19)	Controls (n = 27)	p-value MCI-DLB vs DLB	p-value MCI-DLB vs AD	p-value MCI-DLB vs controls
Right SN area in cm², median (IQR)	0.20 (0.12–0,25)	0.20 (0.12–0.25)	0.13 (0.10–0.15)	0.11 (0.08–0.12)	0.970	0.044	0.001
Left SN area in cm², median (IQR)	0.23 (0.20–0.26)	0.23 (0.11–0.32)	0.11 (0.09–0.13)	0.11 (0.09–0.13)	1	< 0.001	< 0.001
SN hyperechogenicity, n	13 (86.7%)	4 (50%)	2 (10.5%)	2 (7.4%)	0.056	< 0.001	< 0.001
Bilateral SN hyperchogenicity, n	8 (53.3%)	3 (37.5%)	1 (5.3%)	0 (0%)	0.769	0.001	< 0.001
IIIv size in cm, median (IQR)	0.73 (0.52–0.89)	0.60 (0.44–0.75)	0.73 (0.58–0.92)	0.51 (0.42–0.72)	0.259	0.636	0.027
Frontal right horn of LV size in cm, median (IQR)	1.97 (1.68–2.13)	1.77 (1.64–1.94)	1.92 (1.78–2.22)	1.63 (1.49–1.91)	0.173	0.591	0.004
Frontal left horn of LV size in cm, median (IQR)	2.01 (1.91–2.17)	1.90 (1.66–2.00)	1.71 (1.57–2.09)	1.76 (1.62–1.9)	0.099	0.158	0.006

MCI Mild Cognitive Impairment, DLB Dementia with Lewy bodies, AD Alzheimer’s disease, SN Substantia Nigra, IIIv Third ventricle, LV Lateral ventricle, IQR Interquartilic range

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