Radiologic clinics of North America
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Radiol. Clin. North Am. · Mar 2014
ReviewMetabolic white matter diseases and the utility of MR spectroscopy.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be useful as an adjuvant diagnostic tool to traditional MR imaging of the brain. MRS can provide both quantitative and qualitative information about white matter pathologic abnormality. It is important to interpret MRS in conjunction with other clinical factors including but not limited to additional diagnostic neuroimaging, history and physical examination findings, and genetics.
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When atrophy is seen on imaging in adult patients, it does not necessarily represent Alzheimer disease. Many cases of dementia or cognitive decline could be caused by reversible or preventable diseases, such as vascular dementia. This article familiarizes the physician with various types of vascular lesions leading to dementia and cognitive decline and their imaging appearances. Neuroimaging plays an important role in identifying vascular lesions of the brain early, even before the clinical manifestation of the cognitive decline symptoms and, thus, can help to prevent or delay the symptoms related to the various vascular pathologic conditions.