Visualization of perivascular spaces in Alzheimer's disease using 5.0 T MRI: A preliminary study

BackgroundPerivascular spaces (PVS) have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the added value of 5.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for PVS visualization in AD remains unclear.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the utility of 5.0 T MRI for PVS in AD patients and healthy controls (HCs).MethodsA total of 186 participants were enrolled, including 62 AD patients and 124 age- and sex-matched HCs. All AD patients underwent paired 3.0 T and 5.0 T MRI scans on the same day, while 62 HCs underwent only 3.0 T MRI and 62 HCs underwent only 5.0 T MRI. Axial T2-weighted imaging was used for PVS assessment. Evaluations included qualitative and quantitative analysis in the basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semiovale (CSO).ResultsIn AD patients, 5.0 T MRI demonstrated significantly higher PVS image quality scores and severity scores in the BG and CSO than 3.0 T MRI (p < 0.05). Quantitatively, 5.0 T MRI detected a greater PVS burden, evidenced by increased number, larger volume, longer length, and higher curvature of PVS in the bilateral BG (p < 0.001), and increased number and volume of PVS in the bilateral CSO (p < 0.05) compared to 3.0 T MRI. Furthermore, when compared to HCs using 5.0 T MRI, AD patients exhibited higher PVS severity scores and greater PVS burden in most regions than HCs (p < 0.05).Conclusions5.0 T high-resolution images provide superior image quality for PVS visualization and reveal more detailed morphological information of PVS in AD patients compared to 3.0 T MRI.