[Functional MRI and cognition assessment in subcortical ischemic vascular disease].

Objective: To evaluate the imaging features of patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) induced by Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Disease (SIVD), through magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and proton spectroscopy (MRS) technology.

Methods: A total of 52 patients with SIVD were enrolled. After analysis of scale score, 32 patients with cognitive impairment were assigned to VCI group and 20 patients with no cognitive impairment were assigned to control group. Both group received DTI and MRS examination. The mean values of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the bilateral temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital white matter regions as well as in the bilateral centrum semiovale were calculated. The peak value of MRS of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr) and phaseomannite (mI) were calculated.

Results: Compared with control group, FA decreased in the region of temporal, frontal, parietal as well as in the centrum semiovale, and ADC increased in VCI group (P < 0.05). In the frontal regions and centrum semiovale, the VCI patients had a significant FA decrease. The ADC value increased obviously in the temporal lobe. Spectrum analysis results showed, NAA/Cr was lower than control group in VCI group in the frontal lobe (1.43 ± 0.08 vs 1.53 ± 0.92), while mI/Cr was higher than control group in the temporal lobe (0.51 ± 0.06 vs 0.46 ± 0.07) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: FA in the temporal and centrum semiovale regions of VCI group and NAA in the temporal white matter regions decreased obviously. DTI and MRS could provide a reference value for early diagnosis and assessment of VCI.