Prospective evaluation of the role of atherosclerosis on cerebral atrophy: pilot study

Our purpose was to study the association between atherosclerosis measured by arterial calcium on computed tomography (CT) and cerebral atrophy demonstrated by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

IRB approved this prospective study. Twenty-one consecutive patients with acute stroke-like symptoms who are scheduled to have brain MRI were recruited on a voluntary basis. electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated helical CT scans were used to determine the arterial calcium as a reliable index of underlying atherosclerosis. Extracranial arterial calcium content was measured quantitatively by special software available in our CT scanner. Intracranial calcium was graded qualitatively. Brain MRI was independently evaluated to identify cortical, central atrophy, and ischemic changes. Relationship between CT demonstrated atherosclerosis and cerebral ischemic changes, brain atrophy patterns were evaluated both without and with adjustment for age and hypertension.

Out of 21 patients 20 were included in final study group. There was no correlation between atherosclerotic calcium measures and cortical atrophy, ischemic findings. Both intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis had partial correlation with central atrophy (R= 0.43 and 0.52, respectively). After adjustment for age, only intracranial atherosclerosis maintained a partial correlation with central atrophy (R= 0.41). However, this correlation did not reach a statistically significant level (P= .10).

Intracranial atherosclerosis demonstrated a possible correlation with central atrophy.