Possibilities of contrast-free magnetic resonance perfusion imaging for the detection of early brain damage in essential hypertension

Abstract

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a promising non-invasive method to assess cerebral perfusion, which identifies a decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF).Objective: to assess cerebral perfusion in middle-aged untreated patients with uncomplicated grade 1–2 hypertension compared to same-age healthy controls.Patients and methods. 33 patients with essential hypertension and 40 healthy individuals (a control group) at the age of 40–59 years were examined. 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring and brain magnetic resonance imaging were performed in different modes (T1 MPRAGE, T2 TSE, T2 FLAIR, DTI, and ASL).Results. White matter hyperintensive changes were found in 7.5% of the healthy individuals and in 51.5% of the hypertensive patients (p = 0.0002). In hypertensive patients, CBF in the cortical plate of anterior frontal regions was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than that in the controls: right CBF, 39.1±5.6 and 45.8±3.2 ml/100 g/min, respectively; left CBF, 39.2±6.2 and 45.2±3.6 ml/100 g/min, respectively. In hypertensive patients with white matter hyperintensive changes, CBF was significantly lower than that in the controls: right CBF, 38.5±5.9 ml/100 g/min (p = 0.0001); left CBF, 39.2±6.7 ml/100 g/min (p = 0.002), and in those without these changes, right CBF was 39.5±5.1 ml/100 g/min (p = 0.0002); left CBF was 38.9±4.3 ml/100 g/min (p = 0.00002). Correlation analysis revealed significant inverse correlations of CBF with BP and systolic BP variability.Conclusion. Lower cerebral perfusion occurs in middle-aged untreated patients with uncomplicated grade 1–2 hypertension even in the absence of white matter hyperintensity foci.

Keywords

• hypertension
• brain
• target organ damage
• middle age
• magnetic resonance imaging
• white matter lesion
• arterial spin labeling
• cerebral blood flow