Evaluating Middle Cerebral Artery Plaque Characteristics and Lenticulostriate Artery Morphology Associated With Subcortical Infarctions at 7T MRI.

BACKGROUND: Lenticulostriate artery (LSA) obstruction is a potential cause of subcortical infarcts. However, MRI LSA evaluation at 3T is challenging. PURPOSE: To investigate middle cerebral artery (MCA) plaque characteristics and LSA morphology associated with subcortical infarctions in LSA territories using 7-T vessel wall MRI (VW-MRI) and time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: Sixty patients with 80 MCA atherosclerotic plaques (37 culprit and 43 non-culprit). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 7-T with 3D TOF-MRA and T1-weighted 3D sampling perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip angle evolutions (SPACE) sequences. ASSESSMENT: Plaque distribution (superior, inferior, ventral, or dorsal walls), LSA origin involvement, LSA morphology (numbers of stems, branches, and length), and plaque characteristics (normalized wall index, maximal wall thickness, plaque length, remodeling index, intraplaque hemorrhage, and plaque surface morphology (regular or irregular)) were assessed. STATISTICAL TESTS: Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, generalized estimating equations regression, receiver operating characteristic curve, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and intra-class coefficient. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Plaque irregular surface, superior wall plaque, longer plaque length, LSA origin involvement, fewer LSA stems, and shorter total and average lengths of LSAs were significantly associated with culprit plaques. Multivariable logistic analysis confirmed that LSA origin involvement (OR, 28.51; 95% CI, 6.34-181.02) and plaque irregular surface (OR, 8.32; 95% CI, 1.41-64.73) were independent predictors in differentiating culprit from non-culprit plaques. A combination of LSA origin involvement and plaque irregular surface (area under curve = 0.92; [95% CI, 0.86-0.98]) showed good performance in identifying culprit plaques, with sensitivity and specificity of 86.5% and 86.0%, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: 7-T VW-MRI and TOF-MRA can demonstrate plaque involvement with LSA origins. MCA plaque characteristics derived from 7-T VW-MRI showed good diagnostic accuracy in determining the occurrence of subcortical infarctions. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Differentiation Between the Low and High Trans-Stenotic Pressure Gradient in Patients With Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Using 4D Flow MRI-Derived Hemodynamic Parameters.

BACKGROUND: Trans-stenotic pressure gradient (TPG) measurement is essential for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) patients with transverse sinus (TS) stenosis. Four-D flow MRI may provide a noninvasive imaging method for differentiation of IIH patients with different TPG. PURPOSE: To investigate the associations between 4D flow parameters and TPG, and to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 4D flow parameters in differentiating patients with high TPG (GroupHP) from low TPG (GroupLP). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: 31 IIH patients with TS stenosis (age, 38 ± 12 years; 23 females) and 5 healthy volunteers (age, 25 ± 1 years; 2 females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T, 3D phase contrast MR venography, and gradient recalled echo 4D flow sequences. ASSESSMENT: Scan-rescan reproducibility of 4D flow parameters were performed. The correlation between TPG and flow parameters was analyzed. The netflow and velocity difference between inflow plane, outflow plane, and the stenosis plane were calculated and compared between GroupHP and GroupLP. STATISTICAL TESTS: Pearson's correlation or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, Independent samples t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman analyses, Receiver operating characteristic curves. A P value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between TPG and netflow parameters including Favg,out-s, Favg,in-s, Fmax,out-s, and Fmax,in-s (r = 0.525-0.565). Significant differences were found in Favg,out-s, Fmax,out-s, Favg,in-s, and Fmax,in-s between GroupHP and GroupLP. Using the cut-off value of 2.19 mL/sec, the Favg,out-s showed good estimate performance in distinguishing GroupHP from GroupLP (AUC = 0.856). The ICC (ranged 0.905-0.948) and Bland-Altman plots indicated good scan-rescan reproducibility. DATA CONCLUSIONS: 4D flow MRI derived flow parameters showed good correlations with TPG in IIH patients with TS stenosis. Netflow difference between outflow and stenosis location at TS shows the good performance in differentiating GroupHP and GroupLP cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Glymphatic system impairment in Alzheimer's disease: associations with perivascular space volume and cognitive function.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate glymphatic function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) using the diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) method and to explore the associations between DTI-ALPS index and perivascular space (PVS) volume, as well as between DTI-ALPS index and cognitive function. METHODS: Thirty patients with PET-CT-confirmed AD (15 AD dementia; 15 mild cognitive impairment due to AD) and 26 age- and sex-matched cognitively normal controls (NCs) were included in this study. All participants underwent neurological MRI and cognitive assessments. Bilateral DTI-ALPS indices were calculated. PVS volume fractions were quantitatively measured at three locations: basal ganglia (BG), centrum semiovale, and lateral ventricle body level. DTI-ALPS index and PVS volume fractions were compared among three groups; correlations among the DTI-ALPS index, PVS volume fraction, and cognitive scales were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with AD dementia showed a significantly lower DTI-ALPS index in the whole brain (p = 0.009) and in the left hemisphere (p = 0.012) compared with NCs. The BG-PVS volume fraction in patients with AD was significantly larger than the fraction in NCs (p = 0.045); it was also negatively correlated with the DTI-ALPS index (r = - 0.433, p = 0.021). Lower DTI-ALPS index was correlated with worse performance in the Boston Naming Test (ß = 0.515, p = 0.008), Trail Making Test A (ß = - 0.391, p = 0.048), and Digit Span Test (ß = 0.408, p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The lower DTI-ALPS index was found in patients with AD dementia, which may suggest impaired glymphatic system function. DTI-ALPS index was correlated with BG-PVS enlargement and worse cognitive performance in certain cognitive domains. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space index may be applied as a useful indicator to evaluate the glymphatic system function. The impaired glymphatic system in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia may provide a new perspective for understanding the pathophysiology of AD. KEY POINTS: • Patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia displayed a lower diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index, possibly indicating glymphatic impairment. • A lower DTI-ALPS index was associated with the enlargement of perivascular space and cognitive impairment. • DTI-ALPS index could be a promising biomarker of the glymphatic system in Alzheimer's disease dementia.

Vascular-water-exchange MRI (VEXI) enables the detection of subtle AXR alterations in Alzheimer's disease without MRI contrast agent, which may relate to BBB integrity.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment is an important pathophysiological process in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of AD. However, most current neuroimaging methods assessing BBB function need the injection of exogenous contrast agents (or tracers), which limits the application of these methods in a large population. In this study, we aim to explore the feasibility of vascular water exchange MRI (VEXI), a diffusion-MRI-based method proposed to assess the BBB permeability to water molecules without using a contrast agent, in the detection of the BBB breakdown in AD. We tested VEXI on a 3T MRI scanner on three groups: AD patients (AD group), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients due to AD (MCI group), and the age-matched normal cognition subjects (NC group). Interestingly, we find that the apparent water exchange across the BBB (AXRBBB) measured by VEXI shows higher values in MCI compared with NC, and this higher AXRBBB happens specifically in the hippocampus. This increase in AXRBBB value gets larger and extends to more brain regions (medial orbital frontal cortex and thalamus) from MCI group to the AD group. Furthermore, we find that the AXRBBB values of these three regions is correlated significantly with the impairment of respective cognitive domains independent of age, sex and education. These results suggest VEXI is a promising method to assess the BBB breakdown in AD.

Estimation of venous sinus pressure drop in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension using 4D-flow MRI.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore a non-invasive estimate of pressure drop in patients who undergo venous sinus stenting to treat idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). METHODS: This prospective study included 28 IIH patients scheduled for venous stenting. 4D-flow MRI was acquired 24-48 h before venous manometry. Manometry-obtained pressure drop (Mp) was dichotomized into low (Lp: 0-8 mmHg) and high (Hp: 8-30 mmHg) groups. Hemodynamic indices were compared between Lp and Hp. Trans-stenotic pressure drop was estimated by work-energy equation, simplified Bernoulli equation, vorticity magnitude, and velocity difference between inlet and outlet and was compared with Mp. Measurement agreement, correlation, and accuracy were evaluated using the κ coefficient, Pearson's r, and confusion matrix-derived accuracy. RESULTS: Among 28 patients (mean age 38.8 ± 12.7), 19 (67.9%) were female. Work-energy equation-estimated pressure drop (WEp) had strong correlation (r = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.96, p < 0.001) and high agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.78-0.95, p < 0.001) with Mp. WEp classified Lp and Hp with an accuracy of 0.96. The κ value between WEp and Mp was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.78-1.00). In the work-energy equation, the viscosity energy term (Ve) had the largest weights, and the ratio of Ve to the summation of the three energy terms was 0.93 ± 0.07. Ve had strong correlation with mVort (r = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97, p < 0.001), and mean vorticity magnitude was significantly elevated in Hp compared to that in Lp (259.8 vs. 174.9 mL/s, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Trans-stenotic pressure drop in IIH can be estimated using the work-energy equation with favorable accuracy. KEY POINTS: • Trans-stenotic pressure drop in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension can be estimated accurately with the work-energy equation using the 4D-flow MRI full velocity field. • Compared with traditional venous sinus manometry, the 4D-flow MRI-derived pressure drop is totally non-invasive and cost-saving. • 4D-flow MRI may help neurointerventionalist to select IIH patients suitable for venous sinus stenting.

Aneurysm wall enhancement, atherosclerotic proteins, and aneurysm size may be related in unruptured intracranial fusiform aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE), atherosclerotic protein levels, and aneurysm size in unruptured intracranial fusiform aneurysms (IFAs). METHODS: Patients with IFAs underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) and atherosclerotic protein examinations from May 2015 to December 2021 were collected. A CRstalk (signal intensity [SI] of IFA wall/SI of pituitary stalk) > 0.60 was considered to indicate AWE. Atherosclerotic protein data was obtained from the peripheral blood. Aneurysmal characteristics included the maximal diameter of the cross-section (Dmax), location, type of IFA, presence of mural thrombus, and mural clots. Statistical analyses were performed with univariate analysis, logistic regression analysis, and Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Seventy-one IFAs from 71 patients were included in the study. Multivariate analysis revealed statin use (OR = 0.189, p = 0.026) and apolipoprotein B (Apo-B) level (OR = 6.019, p = 0.026) were the independent predictors of AWE in IFAs. In addition, statin use (OR = 0.813, p = 0.036) and Apo-B level (OR = 1.610, p = 0.003) were also the independent predictors of CRstalk. Additionally, we found that CRstalk and AWE were significantly positively associated with Dmax (rs = 0.409 and 0.349, respectively; p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There may be correlations between AWE, atherosclerotic protein levels, and aneurysm size in patients with IFAs. Apo-B and statin use were independent predictors of AWE in IFAs, which have the potential to be new therapeutic targets for IFAs. KEY POINTS: • There may be correlations between aneurysm wall enhancement, atherosclerotic protein levels in the peripheral blood, and aneurysm size in patients with intracranial fusiform aneurysms. • Apolipoprotein B and statin use were independent predictors of aneurysm wall enhancement in intracranial fusiform aneurysms.

Changes in gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate/glutamine levels in the right thalamus of patients with episodic and chronic migraine: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate/glutamine (Glx) levels in the right thalamus of patients with episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) and their effects on the chronification of migraine. BACKGROUND: Migraine affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide, with 2.5%-3% of people with EM progressing to CM each year. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have revealed altered GABA and Glx levels in the thalamus of patients with migraine without aura, but these neurometabolic concentrations are underexplored in the thalamus of patients with CM. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients with EM and CM were recruited. Mescher-Garwood point resolved spectroscopy sequence was used to acquire neurotransmitter concentrations in the right thalamus of patients with EM and CM and matched healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS: A total of 26 patients (EM, n = 11; CM, n = 15) and 16 age- and sex-matched HCs were included in the analysis. There were significantly lower GABA+/Water levels in the right thalamus of the CM group (mean ± standard deviation: 2.27 ± 0.4 [institutional units]) than that of the HC group (2.74 ± 0.4) (p = 0.026; mean difference [MD] = -0.5 [i.u.]), and lower Glx/Cr levels in the EM group (mean ± SD: 0.11 ± < 0.1) than in the HCs (0.13 ± < 0.1) and CM group (0.13 ± < 0.1) (p = 0.023, MD < -0.1, and p = 0.034, MD < -0.1, respectively). The GABA+/Glx ratio was lower in the CM group (mean ± SD: 0.38 ± 0.1) compared to the EM group (0.47 ± 0.1) (p = 0.024; MD = -0.1). The area under the curve for GABA+/Water levels in differentiating patients with CM from HCs was 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.68, 0.98; p = 0.004). Correlation analyses within the migraine group revealed no significant correlation between metabolite concentration levels and headache characteristics after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION: Reduced GABA+/Water levels and imbalance of excitation/inhibition in the right thalamus may contribute to migraine chronification.

Normal glymphatic system function in patients with new daily persistent headache using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the glymphatic function in patients with new daily persistent headache (NDPH) using the diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) method. BACKGROUND: NDPH, a rare and treatment-refractory primary headache disorder, is poorly understood. There is limited evidence to suggest that headaches are associated with glymphatic dysfunction. Thus far, no studies have evaluated glymphatic function in patients with NDPH. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted in the Headache Center of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, patients with NDPH and healthy controls were enrolled. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations. Clinical characteristics and neuropsychological evaluation were examined in patients with NDPH. ALPS indexes for both hemispheres were measured to determine the glymphatic system function in patients with NDPH and healthy controls. RESULTS: In total, 27 patients with NDPH (14 males, 13 females; age [mean ± standard deviation (SD)]: 36.6 ± 20.6) and 33 healthy controls (15 males, 18 females; age [mean ± SD]: 36.0 ± 10.8) were included in the analysis. No significant differences between groups were observed in the left ALPS index (1.583 ± 0.182 vs. 1.586 ± 0.175, mean difference = 0.003, 95% confidence interval [CI] of difference = -0.089 to 0.096, p = 0.942), or right ALPS index (1.578 ± 0.230 vs. 1.559 ± 0.206, mean difference = -0.027, 95% CI of difference = -0.132 to 0.094, p = 0.738). Additionally, ALPS indexes were not correlated with clinical characteristics or neuropsychiatric scores. CONCLUSION: No glymphatic dysfunction was detected in patients with NDPH by means of the ALPS method. Additional studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these preliminary findings and improve the understanding of glymphatic function in NDPH.

Micro-structural white matter abnormalities in new daily persistent headache: a DTI study using TBSS analysis.

BACKGROUND: New daily persistent headache (NDPH) is a rare primary headache disorder characterized by daily and persistent sudden onset headaches. The pathogenesis of NDPH remains unclear, and there are few white matter imaging studies related to NDPH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the micro-structural abnormalities of white matter in NDPH and provided insights into the pathogenesis of this disease based on tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). METHODS: Twenty-one patients with NDPH and 25 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. T1 structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were acquired from all participants. Differences in the fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) between patients with NDPH and HCs were investigated using TBSS analysis. RESULTS: Significantly decreased FA, increased MD and RD were found in patients with NDPH compared to HCs. White matter regions overlaid with decreased FA, increased MD and RD were found in 16 white matter tracts from the Johns Hopkins University ICBM-DTI-81 White-Matter Atlas and Johns Hopkins University White-Matter Tractography Atlas. Specifically, these white matter regions included the right anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), body of the corpus callosum (BCC), bilateral cingulum, left hippocampal cingulum (CGH), left corticospinal tract (CST), forceps major, fornix, left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), left posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), right retrolenticular part of the internal capsule (RPIC), splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC), right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and left uncinate fasciculus (UF). After Bonferroni correction, there were no correlations between the FA, MD, AD and RD values and the clinical characteristics of patients with NDPH (p > 0.05/96). CONCLUSION: The results of our research indicated that patients with NDPH might have widespread abnormalities in the white matter of the brain.

Alterations in regional homogeneity and multiple frequency amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuation in patients with new daily persistent headache: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND: New daily persistent headache (NPDH) is a rare primary headache that is highly disabling. The pathophysiology of NDPH is still unclear, and we aimed to reveal the underlying mechanism of NDPH through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, thirty patients with NDPH and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) sequences of all participants were obtained using the GE 3.0 T system. We performed ReHo, ALFF (conventional band: 0.01-0.08 Hz, slow-5: 0.01-0.027 Hz, slow-4: 0.027-0.073 Hz) and seed-based to the whole brain functional connectivity (FC) analysis in the NDPH and HC groups. The sex difference analysis of ReHo, ALFF, and FC values was conducted in the NDPH group. We also conducted Pearson's correlation analysis between ReHo, ALFF, FC values and clinical characteristics (pain intensity, disease duration, HIT-6, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and PSQI scores). RESULTS: Both increased ReHo (PFWE-corr = 0.012) and ALFF values (0.01-0.08 Hz, PFWE-corr = 0.009; 0.027-0.073 Hz, PFWE-corr =0.044) of the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG_L) were found in the NDPH group compared to the HC group. There was no significant difference in FC maps between the two groups. Compared to the HC group, no difference was found in ReHo (p = 0.284), ALFF (p = 0.246), and FC (p = 0.118) z scores of the MOG_L in the NDPH group. There was also no sex difference in ReHo (p = 0.288), ALFF (p = 0.859), or FC z score (p = 0.118) of the MOG_L in patients with NDPH. There was no correlation between ReHo, ALFF, FC z scores and clinical characteristics after Bonferroni correction (p < 0.05/18). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NDPH may have abnormal activation of the visual system. Abnormal visual activation may occur mainly in higher frequency band of the classical band. No sex differences in brain activity were found in patients with NDPH.

Increased glymphatic system activity in migraine chronification by diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests that several headache disorders may be associated with glymphatic dysfunction. However, no studies have been conducted to examine the glymphatic activity in migraine chronification. PURPOSES: To investigate the glymphatic activity of migraine chronification in patients with episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) using the diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) method. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients with EM, CM, and healthy controls (HCs) were included. All participants underwent a standard brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Bilateral DTI-ALPS indexes were calculated for all participants and compared among EM, CM, and HC groups. Correlations between the DTI-ALPS index and clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients with EM, 24 patients with CM, and 41 age- and sex-matched HCs were included in the analysis. Significant differences were found in the right DTI-ALPS index among the three groups (p = 0.011), with CM showing significantly higher values than EM (p = 0.033) and HCs (p = 0.015). The right DTI-ALPS index of CM group was significantly higher than the left DTI-ALPS index (p = 0.005). And the headache intensity was correlated to DTI-ALPS index both in the left hemisphere (r = 0.371, p = 0.011) and in the right hemisphere (r = 0.307, p = 0.038), but there were no correlations after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSIONS: Glymphatic system activity is shown to be increased instead of impaired during migraine chronification. The mechanism behind this observation suggests that increased glymphatic activity is more likely to be a concomitant phenomenon of altered vascular reactivity associated with migraine pathophysiology rather than a risk factor of migraine chronification.

Hyperperfusion of bilateral amygdala in patients with chronic migraine: an arterial spin-labeled magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND: Amygdala, an essential element of the limbic system, has served as an important structure in pain modulation. There is still a lack of clarity about altered cerebral perfusion of amygdala in migraine. This study aimed to investigate the perfusion variances of bilateral amygdala in episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) using multi-delay pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeled magnetic resonance imaging (pCASL-MRI). METHODS: Twenty-six patients with EM, 55 patients with CM (33 CM with medication overuse headache (MOH)), and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. All participants underwent 3D multi-delay pCASL MR imaging to obtain cerebral perfusion data, including arrival-time-corrected cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial cerebral blood volume (aCBV). The CBF and aCBV values in the bilateral amygdala were compared among the three groups. Correlation analyses between cerebral perfusion parameters and clinical variables were performed. RESULTS: Compared with HC participants, patients with CM were found to have increased CBF and aCBV values in the left amygdala, as well as increased CBF values in the right amygdala (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of CBF and aCBV values in the bilateral amygdala between the HC and EM groups, the EM and CM groups, as well as the CM without and with MOH groups (all P > 0.05). In patients with CM, the increased perfusion parameters of bilateral amygdala were positively correlated with MIDAS score after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSION: Hyperperfusion of bilateral amygdala might provide potential hemodynamics evidence in the neurolimbic pain network of CM.

Mapping the aberrant brain functional connectivity in new daily persistent headache: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pathogenesis of new daily persistent headache (NDPH) is not fully understood. We aim to map aberrant functional connectivity (FC) in patients with NDPH using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Brain structural and functional MRI data were acquired from 29 patients with NDPH and 37 well-matched healthy controls (HCs) in this cross-sectional study. Region of interest (ROI) based analysis was used to compare FC between patients and HCs, with 116 brain regions in the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas were defined as seeds. The correlations between aberrant FC and patients' clinical characteristics, and neuropsychological evaluation were also investigated. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, patients with NDPH showed increased FC in the left inferior occipital gyrus, right thalamus and decreased FC in right lingual gyrus, left superior occipital gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, left inferior occipital gyrus, right inferior occipital gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, right thalamus and right superior temporal gyrus. There were no correlation between FC of these brain regions and clinical characteristics, neuropsychological evaluation after Bonferroni correction (p > 0.05/266). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NDPH showed aberrant FC in multiple brain regions involved in perception and regulation of emotion and pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05334927.

Utility of Dual-Layer Spectral Detector CTA to Characterize Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Components: An Imaging-Histopathology Comparison in Patients Undergoing Endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND. The composition of noncalcified portions of carotid atherosclerotic plaque is an important marker of plaque vulnerability and ischemia risk. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of dual-layer spectral detector CTA (DLCTA) parameters for characterization of carotid plaque components with histologic results from carotid endarterectomy as the reference. METHODS. Seven patients (five men, two women; mean age, 61.6 ± 8.5 [SD] years) with carotid plaque awaiting carotid endarterectomy were prospectively enrolled and underwent preoperative supraaortic DLCTA. A neuroradiologist and pathologist performed joint slice-by-slice review of histologic slices of resected plaques and CTA images. With the use of anatomic landmarks, ROIs were placed on noncalcified components (lipid-rich necrotic core [LRNC], intraplaque hemorrhage [IPH], fibrous tissue, loose matrix) on CTA images and compared with corresponding histologic slices. For each ROI, attenuation was recorded for conventional polyenergetic images (CTPI) and virtual monoenergetic images with energy ranging from 40 to 140 keV (CT40-140keV), attenuation spectrum curve slope was calculated, and Z-effective value (representing effective atomic number) was recorded. DLCTA parameters were compared among plaque components. RESULTS. Seven plaques with a total of 65 slices and 364 ROIs (159 fibrous tissue, 96 LRNC, 86 loose matrix, 23 IPH) were analyzed. All parameters (CTPI, CT40-140keV, slope from 40 to 140 keV, Z-effective value) had significant differences between LRNC and the other components (all p < .001). For example, mean CTPI was 37.1 ± 15.1 HU for LRNC, 58.4 ± 21.6 HU for IPH, 69.7 ± 20.5 HU for fibrous tissue, and 69.6 ± 19.6 HU for loose matrix. Mean CT40keV was 28.1 ± 36.7 HU for LRNC, 87.5 ± 48.9 HU for IPH, 106.3 ± 47.5 HU for fibrous tissue, and 102.6 ± 48.0 HU for loose matrix. AUC for differentiating LRNC from other components was highest (0.945) for CT40kev and decreased with higher energy; AUC for CTPI was 0.908. CT40kev also had highest accuracy (90.4%); at a cutoff of 55.7 HU, CT40kev had 88.5% sensitivity and 91.0% specificity. For differentiating IPH from fibrous tissue and loose matrix, AUC was highest at 0.652 for CTPI and 0.645 for CT40kev. CONCLUSION. DLCTA showed strong performance in differentiating LRNC from other noncalcified plaque components; CT40kev had highest accuracy, outperforming CTPI. CLINICAL IMPACT. DLCTA parameters may help characterize carotid plaque composition as a marker of vulnerable plaque and ischemia risk.

Extracranial carotid plaque hemorrhage predicts ipsilateral stroke recurrence in patients with carotid atherosclerosis - a study based on high-resolution vessel wall imaging MRI.

BACKGROUND: Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is a hallmark of carotid plaque vulnerability. We aim to investigate the association between IPH and recurrent ipsilateral ischemic stroke. METHODS: Patients with a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were prospectively recruited and underwent an ultrasonographic examination and carotid HR VWMRI on the side consistent with symptoms. Carotid plaque was defined as carotid intima-media-thickness (IMT) by ultrasound≥1.5 mm. IPH was determined that the ratio of the plaque signal intensity relative to that of adjacent muscle was > 1.5. All enrolled patients were clinically followed until an ipsilateral ischemic stroke, TIA, carotid endarterectomy (CEA)/carotid artery stenting (CAS), or death within 12 months. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the correlation between clinical characteristics and IPH. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and a log-rank test were used to compare recurrence-free survival time between the IPH and non-IPH groups. Cox regression models evaluated IPH as the predictor of ipsilateral stroke recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 171 patients (mean age, 60.13 ± 10.04 years; 118 males) were included in the final analysis. Thirty-two patients (18.7%) showed carotid IPH. During the follow-up, patients with carotid IPH suffered 60.9% (14 of 23) of recurrent ipsilateral strokes and 60.0% (3 of 5) TIA. Multivariate Cox regression analysis proved IPH as a strong predictor of ipsilateral stroke; the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 6.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.84-15.54, P < 0.001). Meanwhile, Cox regression analysis also proved that IPH could predict recurrent ischemic events; the adjusted HR was 8.08 (95% CI, 3.65-17.91, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage is strongly associated with recurrent ischemic events and could predict recurrent ipsilateral stroke.

Cerebral perfusion variance in new daily persistent headache and chronic migraine: an arterial spin-labeled MR imaging study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: New daily persistent headache (NDPH) and chronic migraine (CM) are two different types of headaches that might involve vascular dysregulation. There is still a lack of clarity about altered brain perfusion in NDPH and CM. This study aimed to investigate the cerebral perfusion variances of NDPH and CM using multi-delay pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeled magnetic resonance imaging (pCASL-MRI). METHODS: Fifteen patients with NDPH, 18 patients with CM, and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. All participants underwent 3D multi-delay pCASL-MRI to obtain cerebral perfusion data, including arrival-time-corrected cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial cerebral blood volume (aCBV). The automated anatomical labeling atlas 3 (AAL3) was used to parcellate 170 brain regions. The CBF and aCBV values in each brain region were compared among the three groups. Correlation analyses between cerebral perfusion parameters and clinical variables were performed. RESULTS: Compared with HC participants, patients with NDPH were found to have decreased CBF and aCBV values in multiple regions in the right hemisphere, including the right posterior orbital gyrus (OFCpost.R), right middle occipital gyrus (MOG.R), and ventral anterior nucleus of right thalamus (tVA.R), while patients with CM showed increased CBF and aCBV values presenting in the ventral lateral nucleus of left thalamus (tVL.L) and right thalamus (tVL.R) compared with HCs (all p < 0.05). In patients with NDPH, after age and sex adjustment, the increased aCBV values of IFGorb. R were positively correlated with GAD-7 scores; and the increased CBF and aCBV values of tVA.R were positively correlated with disease duration. CONCLUSION: The multi-delay pCASL technique can detect cerebral perfusion variation in patients with NDPH and CM. The cerebral perfusion changes may suggest different variations between NDPH and CM, which might provide hemodynamic evidence of these two types of primary headaches.

Altered functional connectivity of the right caudate nucleus in chronic migraine: a resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: The definitive pathogenic mechanisms underlying chronic migraine (CM) remain unclear. Mounting evidence from functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies suggests that the caudate nucleus (CN) plays a role in the cognitive, sensory, and emotional integration of pain information in patients with migraine. However, evidence concerning the role played by CN in CM patients is limited. Here, we used the CN as the seed to explore patterns of functional connectivity (FC) among healthy controls (HCs), patients with episodic migraine (EM), and patients with CM. METHODS: We included 25 HCs, 23 EM patients, and 46 CM patients in this study. All participants underwent resting-state functional MRI scans on a GE 3.0T MRI system. We performed seed-based FC analyses among the three groups using the bilateral CNs as seeds. We also compared the subgroups of CM (with and without medication overuse headache, males and females) and performed Pearson's correlation analyses between FC values and the clinical features of CM patients. RESULTS: FC values between the right CN and five clusters (mainly involved in emotion, cognition, and sensory-related brain regions) were higher in CM patients than in HCs. Compared to EM patients, enhanced FC values between the bilateral precuneus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, right middle cingulate cortex, right lingual gyrus, and right CN were shown in the CM patients. There were no significant differences between CM patients with and without MOH, males and females. FC values between the bilateral calcarine cortex, lingual gyrus, and right CN were positively correlated with body mass index. Moreover, right CN-related FC values in the left calcarine cortex and right lingual gyrus were inversely correlated with visual analogue scale scores for headaches. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed abnormal right CN-based FC values in CM patients, suggesting dysfunction of brain networks associated with pain perception and multi-regulation (emotion, cognition, and sensory). Aberrant FC of the CN can provide potential neuroimaging markers for the diagnosis and treatment of CM.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate/glutamine levels in the dentate nucleus and periaqueductal gray with episodic and chronic migraine: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of migraine chronification remains unclear. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown impaired functional and structural alterations in the brains of patients with chronic migraine. The cerebellum and periaqueductal gray (PAG) play pivotal roles in the neural circuits of pain conduction and analgesia in migraine. However, few neurotransmitter metabolism studies of these migraine-associated regions have been performed. To explore the pathogenesis of migraine chronification, we measured gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate/glutamine (Glx) levels in the dentate nucleus (DN) and PAG of patients with episodic and chronic migraine and healthy subjects. METHODS: Using the MEGA-PRESS sequence and a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner (Signa Premier; GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA), we obtained DN and PAG metabolite concentrations from patients with episodic migraine (n = 25), those with chronic migraine (n = 24), and age-matched and sex-matched healthy subjects (n = 16). Patients with chronic migraine were further divided into those with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) medication overuse headache. All scans were performed at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University. RESULTS: We found that patients with chronic migraine had significantly lower levels of GABA/water (p = 0.011) and GABA/creatine (Cr) (p = 0.026) in the DN and higher levels of Glx/water (p = 0.049) in the PAG than healthy controls. In all patients with migraine, higher GABA levels in the PAG were significantly associated with poorer sleep quality (GABA/water: r = 0.515, p = 0.017, n = 21; GABA/Cr: r = 0.522, p = 0.015, n = 21). Additionally, a lower Glx/Cr ratio in the DN may be associated with more severe migraine disability (r = -0.425, p = 0.055, n = 20), and lower GABA/water (r = -0.424, p = 0.062, n = 20) and Glx/Water (r = -0.452, p = 0.045, n = 20) may be associated with poorer sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: Neurochemical levels in the DN and PAG may provide evidence of the pathological mechanisms of migraine chronification. Correlations between migraine characteristics and neurochemical levels revealed the pathological mechanisms of the relevant characteristics.

Comparison of three FLAIR vascular hyperintensities methodologies in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Multiple methods have been used to analyze fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) vascular hyperintensities (FVHs) which may represent collaterals in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, there is no consensus between methods. PURPOSE: To compare three frequently used FVH methods for predicting early infarct volume and clinical outcome in patients with AIS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with AIS in middle cerebral artery territory were recruited. FVHs were evaluated using extensive FVHs, FVH-diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) mismatch, and FVH-in/out-DWI. Infarct volume at baseline and day 7 were measured. Early neurological improvement (ENI) was assessed. Good outcomes were defined by modified Rankin Scale scores of 0-2 at 90 days. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were included. ENI was 55.6% in patients with extensive FVHs and 23.3% in those without (P = 0.024). Patients with extensive FVHs had smaller infarct volume growth at seven days than those without (P = 0.041). ENI was 48.3% in patients with FVH-DWI mismatch and 15.8% in those without (P = 0.021). Patients with FVH-DWI mismatch had smaller infarct volumes at seven days than those without (P = 0.038). Patients with FVH-out-DWI had smaller baseline infarct volumes, smaller seven-day volumes, and smaller infarct growth than those with FVH-in-DWI (P<0.001, P<0.001, and P = 0.031, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the infarct growth at seven days negatively independently predicted ENI (OR = 0.737, 95% CI 0.593-0.915, P = 0.006). However, none of the FVH classifications could predict a good 90-day outcome. CONCLUSION: Patients with extensive FVHs or FVH-DWI mismatch tend to have early favorable clinical outcome. FVH-out-DWI being associated with smaller infarct growth may also indicate early favorable clinical outcome.

Association of Perforator Stroke After Basilar Artery Stenting With Negative Remodeling.

Background and Purpose- We try to evaluate whether plaque features and perforator stroke after intracranial stenting is associated with the arterial remodeling patterns in patients with severe basilar artery stenosis. Methods- We studied patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis who underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging from September 2014 to January 2017. Among them, patients with basilar artery stenosis underwent angioplasty and stenting were recruited. Arterial remodeling patterns were divided into negative or nonnegative remodeling. Plaque features were investigated by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, which includes plaque distribution, intraplaque hemorrhage, calcification, as well as enhancement patterns. Incidence of perforator strokes after intracranial stenting was recorded. Plaque features and incidence of poststenting perforator stroke were compared between negative and nonnegative remodeling. Results- Two hundred ninety-eight consecutive patients were enrolled. Among them, 30 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There were 11 patients (36.7%) with negative remodeling and 19 (63.3%) with nonnegative remodeling. Twenty-six patients (86.7%) had diffuse distribution, 5 patients (16.7%) had intraplaque hemorrhage, 2 patients (6.7%) had calcification, and 17 patients (65.4%) had enhancement. Three patients had perforator stroke after stenting. Plaque features were similar between negative and nonnegative remodeling groups. Patients with negative remodeling were more likely to have perforator stroke after stenting comparing with patients with nonnegative remodeling (27.3% versus 0%, P=0.041). Conclusions- Perforator stroke after basilar artery stenting may be related to negative remodeling on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. The finding needs to be confirmed in future studies. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02705599.