[Analysis of dot-like hemosiderin spots using brain dock system].
OBJECTIVE
Dot-like low intensity spots (a dot-like hemosiderin spot: dotHS) on T2*-weighted MR images (T2*WI), which is regarded as a sensitive method for hemosiderin detection, have been histologically diagnosed as old microbleeds associated with microangiopathies. The clinical significance of the dotHS, however, is still under debate. Therefore, we investigated the factors associated with dotHS.


METHODS
We investigated 209 healthy volunteers in our hospital (sex: 106 males, 103 females; age: 38 to 78 years old, mean age: 56.4 +/- 8.3 years old) using "Brain Dock", a formalized screening system for asymptomatic brain diseases. The Odds ratio (OR) was estimated from multiple logistic regression analyses using the dotHS and variables.


RESULTS
T2*WI demonstrated dotHS in 7.7% of volunteers, and the mean number of dotHS was 0.16 +/- 0.78. The hemosiderin was preferentially deposited in the basal ganglia and thalamus. Age > or = 65 years old (OR: 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-25.9; p = 0.02), hypertension (OR: 7.0; 95% CI: 1.4-34.7; p = 0.02), and headache (OR: 5.8; 95% CI: 1.4-24.6; p = 0.02) were all found to be independently associated with dotHS.


CONCLUSIONS
The dotHS was significantly associated with several factors, including age, hypertension and headache.
Horita
Yoshifumi
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, Hakodate Municipal Hospital, 1-10-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8680, Japan.
Imaizumi
Toshio
T
Niwa
Jun
J
Yoshikawa
Junpei
J
Miyata
Kei
K
Makabe
Takeshi
T
Moriyama
Ryo
R
Kurokawa
Kiyofumi
K
Mikami
Masashi
M
Nakamura
Manami
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009098:Multiphasic Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*
D006485:Hemosiderin