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Detection of microbleeds in post‐mortem brains of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration: a 7.0‐Tesla magnetic resonance imaging study with neuropathological correlates
Author(s) -
Reuck J.,
Deramecourt V.,
Cordonnier C.,
Auger F.,
Durieux N.,
Bordet R.,
Maurage C. A.,
Leys D.,
Pasquier F.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2012.03776.x
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , frontotemporal lobar degeneration , coronal plane , medicine , white matter , pathology , dementia , pons , cerebral hemisphere , frontotemporal dementia , cerebellar hemisphere , anatomy , radiology , disease
Background Microbleeds ( MB s) are frequently detected in brains of patients with Alzheimer dementia and rare in those with frontotemporal lobar degeneration ( FTLD ). This study investigates for the first time the topographic distribution of MB s on a T2*‐weighted gradient‐echo 7.0‐T magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) in post‐mortem FTLD brains. Patients and methods The neuropathological and MRI findings in 12 FTLD brains were compared with eight age‐matched controls. The presence of cerebrovascular lesions was evaluated on a coronal section of a cerebral hemisphere at the level of the mamillary body and on a horizontal section through pons and cerebellum. On MRI , the distribution and the number of cortical focal signal intensity losses, representing MB s, were assessed on coronal sections at the frontal, the central and the occipital level of a cerebral hemisphere. Results Overall, cerebrovascular lesions were rare. Only white matter damage was significantly more severe in FTLD brains compared with controls ( P = 0.03). On MRI , MB s were only significantly prevalent in the deep cortical layers ( P < 0.01) and borderline increased in the middle cortical layers ( P = 0.07) of the frontal section. Conclusions Cerebrovascular lesions are rare in FTLD . The white matter damage has to be considered as part of the neurodegenerative process. MB s prevail in the frontal regions with the most severe neuronal damage and probably represent associated disruption of the blood–brain barrier.