[Recent progress in diagnostic imaging of cerebrovascular diseases]

The recent development of the neuroimaging modalities has enabled early detection of abnormal cerebral perfusion due to arterial steno-occlusive lesions by means of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and perfusion weighted images of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), early detection of ischemic brain damage by means of diffusion weighted image of MRI, and lacunar infarction and hemorrhage by means of T 2 * weighted images. These methods are now available for the clinical practice. The imaging technique further visualized various pathological states associated with cerebrovascular disease. The fiber tracts in the white matter and its disruption can be evaluated by anisotropy imaging of MRI. Selective neuronal necrosis after mild ischemia was detected by radioactive tracers specifically bound to neurons. These progress may contribute to uncover the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular diseases and to treat the patients.