Dawson's Fingers in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a significant cause of stroke and cognitive decline.
• Venous abnormalities, such as Dawson's fingers, are increasingly recognized in neuroimaging.
• Understanding the clinical significance of Dawson's fingers in CSVD is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Dawson's fingers in patients with CSVD.
• To identify factors associated with the development of Dawson's fingers in CSVD.
• To explore the relationship between Dawson's fingers and cognitive impairment in CSVD.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 65 CSVD patients.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to identify Dawson's fingers.
• Statistical analysis was performed to assess associations with clinical factors and cognitive scores (MoCA, MMSE).

Main Results:

• Dawson's fingers were identified in 30.8% of CSVD patients.
• A significant association was found between Dawson's fingers and diabetes mellitus (DM).
• Patients with Dawson's fingers showed increased cerebral microbleeds (CMB), lacunae, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and significant cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

• Dawson's fingers are prevalent in CSVD patients.
• Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for Dawson's fingers in CSVD.
• Dawson's fingers may serve as a valuable imaging marker for assessing CSVD pathophysiology and cognitive decline.