MRI contrast accumulation in features of cerebral small vessel disease: blood-brain barrier dysfunction or elevated vascular density?

ABSTRACT:

Background

White matter lesions (WML) and dilated perivascular spaces (PVS) are features of small vessel disease (SVD), commonly observed in aging and dementia, with unknown pathophysiology. Human studies have documented contrast accumulation within and in proximity of SVD-lesions. However, whether such observations mainly reflect excessive blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage, or altered microvascular density in the investigated regions, remains unclear.

Methods

To evaluate the roles of BBB leakage and vascular density in aging and SVD, dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI was used to estimate the permeability-surface area product (PS) and fractional plasma volume ([Formula: see text]) in normal-appearing brain tissue and in proximity of and within WML and PVS in a population-b

SUBMITTER: Vikner T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12265124 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature