BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Although the term posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was popularized because of the typical presence of vasogenic edema in the parietal and occipital lobes, other regions of the brain are also frequently affected. We evaluated lesion distribution with CT and MR in a large cohort of patients who experienced PRES to comprehensively assess the imaging patterns identified.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:The cause of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is unknown. Two primary hypotheses exist: 1) hypertension exceeding auto-regulatory limits leading to forced hyper-perfusion and 2) vasoconstriction and hypo-perfusion leading to ischemia with resultant edema. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the catheter angiography (CA), MR angiography (MRA), and MR perfusion (MRP) features in PRES in order to render further insight into its mechanism of origin.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is known to occur after solid organ transplantation (SOT), potentially associated with cyclosporine and tacrolimus. In this study, we assess the frequency and clinical and imaging characteristics of PRES after SOT.

Objectives Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) reflect small vessel disease, are common in elderly individuals and are associated with cognitive impairment. We sought to determine the relationships between WMLs, age, gray matter (GM) volume, and cognition in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). Methods From the CHS we selected 740 cognitively normal controls with a 1.5 T MRI scan of the brain and a detailed diagnostic evaluation. WML severity was determined using a standardized visual rating system. GM volumes were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry implemented in the Statistical Parametric Mapping software. Results WMLs were inversely correlated with GM volume, with the greatest volume loss in the frontal cortex. Age related atrophy was observed in the hippocampus and posterior cingulate cortex. Regression analyses revealed links among age, APOE*4 allele, hypertension, WMLs, GM volume, and digit symbol substitution test scores. Conclusions Both advancing age and hypertension predict higher WML load, which is itself associated with GM atrophy. Longitudinal data are needed to confirm the temporal sequence of events leading to a decline in cognitive function.