Neuroimaging Criteria for Vascular Dementia
Patrick Pullicino, MD, PhD;
Ralph H. B. Benedict, PhD;
Daniel X. Capruso, PhD;
Norber Vella, MD;
Sherry Withiam-Leitch, MD;
Peterkin Lee Kwen, MD
Arch Neurol. 1996;53(8):723-728.
Abstract
| |
Objective
To examine published imaging criteria that separate cranial computed tomographic (CT) scans into grades of increasing support for a diagnosis of vascular dementia (VaD).
Design
Patients were divided into 4 grades of increasing extent of vascular lesions on CT. The frequency of VaD was compared between these grades.
Setting
A university department of neurology.
Patients
Forty-two consecutive patients who underwent neuropsychological assessment for possible dementia and who had a CT scan performed within 6 months following any stroke causing dementia. Patients with delirium, severe aphasia, and motor and/or sensory deficits that impaired neuropsychological testing and patients with mass lesions or nonvascular white matter disease shown on CT were excluded.
Main Outcome Measure
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria for probable VaD.
Results
The frequency of VaD was greater in patients with grade 1 (7 [50%] of 14, P=.01), grade 2 (2 [50%] of 4, P=.2), and grade 3 (7 [78%] of 9, P=.002) scans than the frequency of VaD with grade 0 scans (1 [7%] of 15). There was a linear association of the frequencies of VaD between imaging grades (P=.0008). In a subgroup of patients with neuropsychological deficits caused by cerebrovascular disease, there was a linear association of the severity of the deficits between imaging grades (P=.007).
Conclusions
We conclude that our criteria can separate CTs into increasing levels of support for a diagnosis of VaD. The extent of vascular lesions on CT reflects the severity of associated neuropsychological deficts.
Author Affiliations
From the Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo General Hospital.
 CiteULike  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter
What's this?
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
Moderately Elevated Plasma Homocysteine, Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Genotype, and Risk for Stroke, Vascular Dementia, and Alzheimer Disease in Northern Ireland
McIlroy et al.
Stroke 2002;33:2351-2356.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Clinicopathologic Case Report: Akinetic Mutism With Findings of White Matter Hyperintensity
Lim et al.
J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi. 2002;14:214-221.
FULL TEXT
Use of Donepezil for Vascular Dementia: Preliminary Clinical Experience
Mendez et al.
J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi. 1999;11:268-270.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Clinical Correlates of Vascular Parkinsonism
Winikates and Jankovic
Arch Neurol 1999;56:98-102.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Status of Risk Factors for Dementia Associated With Stroke
Gorelick
Stroke 1997;28:459-463.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
|
