Putaminal Iron Depositionin HIV Infection

T2 shortening (hypointensity) in magnetic resonance (MR) images of the putamen, which may be associated with iron deposition, only occurs in normal subjects over the age of 60 years. Increased or premature putaminal iron deposition may be related to brain injury. We sought to determine the correlation between MR putaminal hypointensity in HIV-infected patients and brain iron deposition.

Eleven T2-weighted axial MR scans were retrospectively rated for the extent of putaminal hypointensity from patients who also had neuropathological examination for the extent of putaminal iron disposition. Correlations between MR putaminal hypointensity and brain iron were obtained.

Neuropathological examination in 9 of 10 patients with putaminal hypointensity demonstrated putaminal iron deposition, predominantly in a perivascular pattern.

Premature putaminal iron deposition occurs in patients with HIV infection and may be detected by MR imaging.