EFFECTS OF MORPHOLOGICAL-CHANGES ON PERFU SION AND METABOLISM IN CEREBRAL MICROANGIOPATHY - A COMPARISON OF PET-FINDINGS, SPECT-FINDINGS AND MRI-FINDINGS

51 patients with cerebral microangiopathy were studied with MRI, (18)F DG-PET, and Tc-99m-HMPAO-SPECT. Exact morphological correlation of MRI -findings to functional data from PET and SPECT was obtained by a spec ial head holder system applied to the patient's head. Patients with le ss than four lacunar infarctions (LI) and without or only slight deep white matter lesions (DWML) in MRI showed no significantly changed par ameters (rMRGlu, rCBF) compared to patients with four or more LI and s evere DWML. Patients with medium to severe outer and inner brain atrop hy showed significantly lower rMRGlu and rCBF values in both cortex an d white matter than patients with no to only slight atrophy. Thus, in patients with cerebral microangiopathy only atrophy and not the presen ce of Li and DWML is associated with a significant reduction of rCBF a nd rMRGlu.