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Updated: May 12, 2026
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Assessing Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts on High Resolution MR Images
Published on: November 20, 2015
13.5K
Cortical microstructural involvement in cerebral small vessel disease.
Annemarie Reiländer1,2, Marlene Engel1, Ulrike Nöth2
1Department of Neurology, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany.
Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior
|March 21, 2024
Summary
Quantitative MRI and diffusion tensor imaging detect early cortical changes in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). These advanced imaging biomarkers show microstructural involvement, aiding in monitoring disease progression and therapeutic interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Radiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) often presents with microstructural abnormalities before cortical atrophy.
- Cortical atrophy is a late-stage marker, limiting its use for short-term CSVD progression monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of cortical diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and quantitative (q) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting early cerebral cortex microstructural changes in CSVD.
- To identify potential imaging biomarkers for early CSVD detection and progression monitoring.
Main Methods:
- 33 CSVD patients and 16 healthy controls underwent 3T MRI, including structural imaging, DTI, and high-resolution qMRI (T2, T2*, T2' mapping).
- Cortical boundaries were reconstructed using Freesurfer, with DTI and qMRI parameters extracted as surface datasets.
- Comprehensive cognitive assessments were performed.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased cortical diffusivity and quantitative T2 values were observed in CSVD patients compared to controls (p < 0.05).
- T2 values showed a significant positive correlation with white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume (p < 0.01).
- Both cortical diffusivity and T2 demonstrated significant negative associations with white matter axonal damage (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Cortical diffusivity and quantitative T2 mapping effectively detect microstructural cerebral cortex involvement in CSVD.
- These imaging techniques show promise as biomarkers for monitoring CSVD progression and evaluating therapeutic interventions in clinical studies.
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