Globus pallidus hypointensity on susceptibility-weighted imaging

What it means

Hypointence (dark) appearance of the globus pallidus inmagnetic resonance imaging using susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI).

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a relatively new magnetic resonance (MR) technique that exploits the magnetic susceptibility differences of various tissues, such as blood, iron and calcification, as a new source of contrast enhancement. Low SWI signal intensity may suggest deposition of paramagnetic material.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category