Substantia Nigra - Radiology Reference Article

4/2/2021 Substantia nigra | Radiology Reference Article | Radiopaedia.
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Substantia nigra
Dr Tom Foster ◉ and Dr Jeremy Jones ◉ et al.
The substantia nigra is one of the brainstem nuclei and part of the extrapyramidal system. While
other nuclei such as the red nucleus are as small and contained within an axial slice at the superior
colliculi (see figure), the substantia nigra is seen in axial slices at both superior and inferior
colliculi.
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Article:
Gross anatomy
Radiographic features
Related pathology
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Cases and figures
Gross anatomy
They are situated in the anterior midbrain and mark the transition point of the tegmentum and
cerebral peduncles.
Function
It is an important relay station in the motor system. It consists of a compact part (dark, containing
melanin) and a reticular part (reddish, containing iron). Most of its axons are projected diffusely to
other brain areas and not arranged into tracts. Numerous axonal tracts terminate in the substantia
nigra:
caudate nucleus (striatonigral fibers)

anterior cerebral cortex (corticonigral fibers)
putamen
precentral cortex
Nigrosomes
Nigrosomes are small clusters of dopaminergic cells measuring up to a few millimeters in size
within the substantia nigra that exhibit calbindin D28K negativity on immunohistochemistry. Five
nigrasomes have been described with the largest labeled as nigrosome-1 positioned in the caudal,
medio-lateral portion of the substantia nigra. Nigrasome-1 contains the largest proportion of
neurons affected in Parkinson disease 3. Privacy - Terms
Radiographic features
High resolution T2*/SWI weighted MRI is able to identify the distribution of normal signal within
healthy and diseased substantia nigra both at 7 T and 3 T field strength. The healthy nigrosome-1
produces a swallow tail appearance on axial imaging. Absence of the normal swallow tail
appearance of nigrosome-1 is reported to be a reliable sign of Parkinson disease 3.
Related pathology
Parkinson disease
References
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Brain
Anatomy: Brain
brain
grey matter
white matter
cerebrum [+]
brainstem
midbrain (mesencephalon)[+]
pons (part of metencephalon)[+]
medulla oblongata (myelencephalon)[+]
white matter
grey matter
non-cranial nerve
substantia nigra
red nucleus
superior colliculi
inferior colliculi
cranial nerve nuclei[+]
cerebellum (part of metencephalon)[+]
cranial meninges (meninx primitiva)[+]
CSF spaces[+]
cranial nerves (mnemonic)[+]
functional neuroanatomy[+]
CNS development[+]
cerebral vascular supply[+]
glymphatic pathway
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Article information
rID: 5813
System: Central Nervous System
Section: Anatomy
Tag: anatomy rewrite
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Substantia nigra on MRI Substantia nigra on MRI

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Substantia nigra on MRI Substantia nigra on MRI

Brainstem nuclei and their connections - Gray's anatomy illustrationBrainstem nuclei and their
connections - Gray's anat…
Midbrain (axial)Midbrain (axial)

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Cases and figures

caudate nucleus (striatonigral fibers)

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Cases and figures

Substantia nigra on MRI Substantia nigra on MRI

Substantia nigra on MRI Substantia nigra on MRI

Midbrain (axial)Midbrain (axial)

Midbrain (axial)Midbrain (axial)

Basal ganglia (illustration)Basal ganglia (illustration)

Dopamine in Parkinson's disease (illustration)Dopamine in Parkinson's disease (illustration)

Organisational structure of basal gangliaOrganisational structure of basal ganglia

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What Is the Link between Eating, Reproducing, & Addiction?