title: Subcortical Magnetic Resonance Imaging Changes in a Healthy Elderly Population; Stroke Risk Factors, Ultrasound, and Hemostasis Findings.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a group of 60 ambulatory elderly individuals (average age, 75.8 yr) were characterized as normal (grade 0), periventricular changes only (grade 1 ). small punctate lesions (grade 2), and confluent or large (> 2 mm) punctate lesions (grade 3). Patients were characterized by stroke risk factors, cardiolipin antibodies, coagulation factors (fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ). and Doppler ultrasound findings in the carotid and middle cerebral arteries. Subcortical signal abnormalities were present in 62% (37 /60), relatively evenly distributed between grade 1 (18%), grade 2 (25%), and grade 3 (18%). There was no significant association between variables and MRI grade. These findings suggest that ischemia is not a major cause of MRI signal abnormalities in neurologically asymptomatic elderly individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology Haag Memorial Medical Center Newport Beach, CA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zawadzki
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ameriso
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quismorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology Haag Memorial Medical Center Newport Beach, CA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zee
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine USC School of Medicine.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paganini-Hill