Association Between Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Intracranial Arterial Calcification

Abstract

Aim:Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a representative cause of stroke, cognitive impairment, and age-related disability, and it is shown to be associated with some traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. This study investigated relationship between the presence and severity of intracranial arterial calcification (ICAS) and the findings of CSVD.Methods:Three hundred eighty-nine patients over the age of 40 who underwent non-enhanced cranial computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging between January 01 and December 31, 2018, were included in the retrospective study. ICAS was scored on CT. CSVD findings, enlarged perivascular spaces (BGPVS, CSPVS), white matter hyperintensities [white matter hyperintensity was scored at periventricular (PVWMHI), white matter hyperintensity was scored at subcortical (SCWMHI)], cortical atrophy [global atrophy (GA) score, and medial temporal atrophy (MTA), Koedam score] were scored in MR images. The presence of acute, chronic, and lacunar infarcts was recorded. After controlling for age and gender, the correlation between ICAS and CSVD markers was examined.Results:A positive correlation was found between ICAS score and BGPVS (r: 0.463 p<0.001), PVWMHI (r: 0.235 p<0.001), and GA (r: 0.368 p<0.001). A negative correlation was found between ICAS score and MTA (r: -0.112 p<0.05) and Koedam score (r: -0.196 p<0.001). The ICAS score was significantly high in cases of lacunar and chronic infarcts (p<0.001). No correlation was found between the calcification score and the CSPVS and SCWMHI scores.Conclusion:The results of this study show that ICAS is correlated with BGPVS, PVWMHI, GA, MTA, Koedam score, and chronic and lacunar infarct.

Keywords

• small vessel disease
• intracranial calcification
• atrophy
• infarct