Routine use of gradient-echo MRI to screen for cerebral amyloid angiopathy in elderly patients.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the routine use of gradient-refocused echo MRI sequences in the detection of cortical cerebral microbleeding suggestive of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in elderly patients (> 70 years old).


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of gradient-refocused echo sequences to routine brain MRI resulted in the identification of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related microbleeding in 15.5% of elderly patients. In most (86.7%) of these patients with positive findings, cerebral amyloid angiopathy was not suspected clinically, and 46.7% of these patients were undergoing anticoagulant or aspirin therapy, placing them at an increased risk of recurrent intracranial hemorrhage and catastrophic stroke.
Walker
D A
DA
Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1865, USA.
Broderick
D F
DF
Kotsenas
A L
AL
Rubino
F A
FA
D000368:Aged; D016657:Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male