Incidental magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging-positive lesions are rare in neurologically asymptomatic community-dwelling adults

Saima Batool; Martin O'Donnell; Mukul Sharma; Shofiqul Islam; Gilles R Dagenais; Paul Poirier; Scott A Lear; Andreas Wielgosz; Koon Teo; Grant Stotts; Cheryl R McCreary; Richard Frayne; Jane DeJesus; Sumathy Rangarajan; Salim Yusuf; Eric E Smith; PURE Study Investigators

doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.005782

Incidental magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging-positive lesions are rare in neurologically asymptomatic community-dwelling adults

Stroke. 2014 Jul;45(7):2115-7. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.005782. Epub 2014 Jun 12.

Authors

Saima Batool¹, Martin O'Donnell¹, Mukul Sharma¹, Shofiqul Islam¹, Gilles R Dagenais¹, Paul Poirier¹, Scott A Lear¹, Andreas Wielgosz¹, Koon Teo¹, Grant Stotts¹, Cheryl R McCreary¹, Richard Frayne¹, Jane DeJesus¹, Sumathy Rangarajan¹, Salim Yusuf¹, Eric E Smith²; PURE Study Investigators

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (S.B., R.F., E.E.S.); Department of Medicine, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (M.O., M.S., S.I., K.T., J.D., S.R., S.Y.); Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec, Canada (G.R.D., P.P.); Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada (S.A.L.); Division of Cardiology, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (S.A.L.); The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (A.W., G.S.); Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (C.R.M., R.F., E.E.S.); Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Alberta Health Services, Alberta, Canada (C.R.M., R.F., E.E.S.); and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (R.F., E.E.S.).
² From the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (S.B., R.F., E.E.S.); Department of Medicine, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (M.O., M.S., S.I., K.T., J.D., S.R., S.Y.); Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Quebec, Canada (G.R.D., P.P.); Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada (S.A.L.); Division of Cardiology, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (S.A.L.); The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (A.W., G.S.); Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (C.R.M., R.F., E.E.S.); Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Alberta Health Services, Alberta, Canada (C.R.M., R.F., E.E.S.); and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (R.F., E.E.S.). eesmith@ucalgary.ca.

PMID: 24923720
DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.005782

Abstract

Background and purpose: Incidental magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-positive lesions, considered to represent small acute infarcts, have been detected in patients with cerebral small vessel diseases or cognitive impairment, but the prevalence in the community population is unknown.

Methods: DWI sequences collected in 793 participants in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study were reviewed for DWI lesions consistent with small acute infarcts.

Results: No DWI-positive lesions were detected (0%, 95% confidence interval, 0-0.5).

Conclusions: DWI-positive lesions are rare in an asymptomatic community population. The prevalence of DWI-positive lesions in the community seems to be lower than in patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy, intracerebral hemorrhage, or cognitive impairment.

Keywords: magnetic resonance imaging; stroke.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Canada / epidemiology
Cerebral Infarction / diagnosis
Cerebral Infarction / epidemiology*
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Prospective Studies

Grants and funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada