Besides macromolecules (neurons, pigmented NM) and iron pigments, other local tissue components can influence T2* contrast, such as water content changes, microvasculature, as well as the tissue properties of the postmortem brain29. We found hypointense areas indicating bundles of myelinated fibres, particularly in the ventrolateral SN. Previous in vivo studies have shown vascular contrasts corresponding to Duvernoy’s India ink-stained atlas images. They suggested that the non-heme iron visualized in T2*WI or SWI are most likely due to the ferritin associated with the vascular network430. In contrast to this hypothesis, we could not find clear vessel-related contrast within the postmortem SN. Although its feasibility is questionable, further correlative analyses of in vivo MR images with postmortem histological sections from the same subject are needed to confirm the presence of vascular signals.