부산대학교 도서관

Small vessel disease (SVD) is the leading cause of vascular and cognitive impairment (CIs) mixed with neurodegeneration. MRI can shed light on SVD pathogenesis and progression mechanisms in vivo. The aim of our study is the assessment of heterogenity of MRI features (based on the STRIVE standard) in age-related SVD and its relation to disease progression mechanisms. 96 patients with age-related SVD (of different severities) (63 women; mean age, 60.6 ± 6.3 years) and 23 healthy volunteers (15 women; mean age, 58 ± 6 years) were examined. MRI scanning (3 T) for all participants included T2-WI, T1-WI, DWI, FLAIR, and SWI regimens with subsequent analysis of SVD brain lesions based on the STRIVE standards. STRIVE features were asessed using a four-point scale. The cluster analysis for Fazekas 3 patients showed two clusters of SVD MRI features. Group 1 had mostly periventricular WMHs, more lacunes, microbleeds, and brain atrophy. Group 2 did not have microbleeds and exhibited mostly juxtacortical WMH (Group 2-2) or posterior leucoaraiosis in periventricular WM with WM lacunes and enlarged perivascular spaces in the basal ganglia (Group 2-1). The combination of MRI features in each cluster probably reflects the predominance of ischemic and non-ischemic mechanisms of SVD. Our results provide evidence for different mechanisms of small brain vessels and brain parenchymal damage in SVD. Further studies are needed to see the clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]