Scarpante Elena, Cherubini Giunio Bruto, de Stefani Alberta, Taeymans Olivier
Neurology/Neurosurgery, Dick White Referrals, Cambridge, UK.
Diagnostic Imaging, Dick White Referrals, Cambridge, UK.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2017 Jul;58(4):389-398. doi: 10.1111/vru.12489. Epub 2017 Mar 26.
Leukoaraiosis is a descriptive term used to designate bilateral, symmetrical, white matter lesions identified in brains of elderly human patients. These lesions are isointense to normal in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1-weighted pulse sequences, non-contrast enhancing, and hyperintense in T2-weighted and FLAIR pulse sequences. Pathophysiologic mechanisms for leukoaraiosis remain incompletely understood; however, an ischemic origin is currently being favored. Age-related changes, such as brain atrophy, ventricular enlargement, and well-demarcated sulci, have also been previously described in dogs over 9 years of age. Objectives of this retrospective case series study were to describe MRI features of leukoaraiosis and brain atrophy in a group of elderly dogs. The Dick White Referrals MRI database between October 2009 and April 2016 was reviewed. Dogs with bilaterally symmetrical periventricular areas of T2 and FLAIR hyperintensity compatible with leukoaraiosis, and older than 9 years, were included. Fourteen dogs met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 18 MRI studies available for review. Median age for sampled dogs was 13 years. Ten dogs had MRI signs of concurrent brain atrophy; one of them had signs of brain atrophy before leukoaraiotic changes could be identified. In those cases where serial MRIs were available, progressive reduction of interthalamic adhesion thickness was observed. The current study introduces leukoaraiosis as a descriptive term for the MRI sign of bilaterally symmetrical, periventricular T2, and FLAIR hyperintensities in brains of elderly dogs. Future studies are needed to determine pathophysiologic mechanisms for this MRI sign.
脑白质疏松症是一个描述性术语，用于指代在老年人类患者大脑中发现的双侧对称的白质病变。这些病变在磁共振成像（MRI）T1加权脉冲序列中与正常组织等信号，无强化，在T2加权和液体衰减反转恢复（FLAIR）脉冲序列中呈高信号。脑白质疏松症的病理生理机制仍未完全明确；然而，目前认为其起源于缺血。此前也有报道称，9岁以上的犬类存在与年龄相关的变化，如脑萎缩、脑室扩大和界限清晰的脑沟。本回顾性病例系列研究的目的是描述一组老年犬脑白质疏松症和脑萎缩的MRI特征。对2009年10月至2016年4月期间迪克·怀特转诊中心的MRI数据库进行了回顾。纳入双侧对称的脑室周围区域T2和FLAIR高信号且符合脑白质疏松症、年龄大于9岁的犬。14只犬符合纳入标准，共有18份MRI研究可供审查。抽样犬的中位年龄为13岁。10只犬有并发脑萎缩的MRI征象；其中1只在脑白质疏松症改变被识别之前就有脑萎缩征象。在有连续MRI检查的病例中，观察到丘脑间粘连厚度逐渐减小。本研究引入脑白质疏松症这一术语来描述老年犬大脑中双侧对称的脑室周围T2和FLAIR高信号的MRI征象。未来需要进一步研究来确定这一MRI征象的病理生理机制。
