PVH in MRI of multi-infarct dementia

To determine the frequency of PVH (paraventricular high intensity region) i n the MRI study in patients with MID (multi-infarct dementia). MRI studies were done in 74 MID patients with a mean age of 80.9 years, 233 SDAT patien ts, and 93 normal elderly persons. The MR images were evaluated by visual i nspection. PVH and cerebral atrophy were classified into 5 grades, and the perivascular lumen classified into 3 grades. WMHI (white matter high intens ity) which is seen only in T2-weighted and proton density-weighted images w as also evaluated. PVH was highly positive and intense in the MID patients. but was hardly ass ociated with changes of aging unlike in other phenomena of aging and SDAT. This study suggests that PVH in MID is attributable not so much to degenera tion in aging as to ischemic changes due to arteriosclerosis.