BACKGROUND: In view of the increasing recognition of cerebral microbleeds (MCBs) with MRI, there is a need to validate their detection in post-mortem brains in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and dementia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of 20 post-mortem brains of patients with Alzheimer dementia and with different cerebrovascular lesions, 45 large sections of the cerebral hemispheres, brainstem and cerebellum were submitted to a 7.0-T T₂*-weighted MRI, and afterwards compared to the histological detection of haematomas, MCBs and mini-bleeds (MNBs). RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, predictive positive value and predictive negative value of the T₂* imaging to detect MCBs and MNBs were excellent for those in the cortico-subcortical regions. There was a significant overestimation of MNBs in the striatum due to iron deposits unrelated to old haemorrhages. Also in the deep white matter, 42% of MNBs were not detected, while 31% of T₂* hyposignals were not due to MNBs but to vessels filled with post-mortem thrombi. CONCLUSIONS: When evaluating the 'bleeding load' with 7.0-T T₂*-weighted MRI in post-mortem brain sections of patients with dementia and vascular risk factors, only quantification of small cerebral bleeds in the cortico-subcortical regions is reliable.
BACKGROUND: In view of the increasing recognition of cerebral microbleeds (MCBs) with MRI, there is a need to validate their detection in post-mortem brains in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and dementia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of 20 post-mortem brains of patients with Alzheimer dementia and with different cerebrovascular lesions, 45 large sections of the cerebral hemispheres, brainstem and cerebellum were submitted to a 7.0-T T₂*-weighted MRI, and afterwards compared to the histological detection of haematomas, MCBs and mini-bleeds (MNBs). RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, predictive positive value and predictive negative value of the T₂* imaging to detect MCBs and MNBs were excellent for those in the cortico-subcortical regions. There was a significant overestimation of MNBs in the striatum due to iron deposits unrelated to old haemorrhages. Also in the deep white matter, 42% of MNBs were not detected, while 31% of T₂* hyposignals were not due to MNBs but to vessels filled with post-mortem thrombi. CONCLUSIONS: When evaluating the 'bleeding load' with 7.0-T T₂*-weighted MRI in post-mortem brain sections of patients with dementia and vascular risk factors, only quantification of small cerebral bleeds in the cortico-subcortical regions is reliable.
Authors: Yi Guo; Tara Saunders; Hua Su; Helen Kim; Deniz Akkoc; David A Saloner; Steven W Hetts; Christopher Hess; Michael T Lawton; Andrew W Bollen; Tony Pourmohamad; Charles E McCulloch; Tarik Tihan; William L Young Journal: Stroke Date: 2012-02-02 Impact factor: 7.914
Authors: Susanne J van Veluw; Jaco J M Zwanenburg; JooYeon Engelen-Lee; Wim G M Spliet; Jeroen Hendrikse; Peter R Luijten; Geert Jan Biessels Journal: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab Date: 2012-12-19 Impact factor: 6.200
Authors: J De Reuck; F Auger; N Durieux; V Deramecourt; C Cordonnier; F Pasquier; C A Maurage; D Leys; R Bordet Journal: Aging Dis Date: 2015-11-17 Impact factor: 6.745
Authors: Saloua Akoudad; Mohammad Arfan Ikram; Peter J Koudstaal; Albert Hofman; Wiro J Niessen; Steven M Greenberg; Aad van der Lugt; Meike W Vernooij Journal: Cerebrovasc Dis Date: 2014-06-26 Impact factor: 2.762