Prominent perivenular spaces in multiple sclerosis as a sign of perivascular inflammation in primary demyelination.

In this study, we describe prominent perivenular spaces as a sign that is seen on high-resolution (512 x 512) transverse T2-weighted MR images in patients with multiple sclerosis. The observed widening of perivenular space is depicted as a stringlike hyperintensity projecting radially and aligned with multiple sclerosis lesions (usually small), following the course and configuration of deep venular structures. This widening may be an important sign in differentiating primary (ie, in multiple sclerosis) from secondary causes of demyelination.