MRI periventricular lesions in adults.

We studied MRI findings of a periventricular high-signal intensity pattern in 151 adults older than 50 years. Only 7.8% of patients who had no identified cerebrovascular risk factors and who reported no cerebrovascular symptoms had these MRI periventricular lesions; 78.5% of patients with a history of cerebrovascular risk factors and who had had cerebrovascular symptoms had periventricular patterns.