Parietal atrophy score on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in normally aging people

Czech version

Authors: D. Šilhán ¹; I. Ibrahim ²; J. Tintěra ²; A. Bartoš ^1,3
Authors‘ workplace: Neurologická klinika 3. LF UK a FN Královské Vinohrady, Praha ¹; Základna radiodiagnostiky a intervenční radiologie, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha ²; Národní ústav duševního zdraví, Klecany ³
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2018; 81(4): 414-419
Category: Original Paper
doi: https://doi.org/10.14735/amcsnn2018414

Overview

Aim:
Our intention was to create a simple visual evaluation of parietal atrophy on MRI of the brain useful in identifying neurodegenerative dementias, especially Alzheimer‘s disease. We assessed the changes of the parietal regions during natural aging.

Patients and methods:
We created a new rating scale that we named the Parietal atrophy score. This method is based on semiquantitativescoring of three structures on coronal slices in the entire parietal lobe: parietal gyri, sulcus cingularis posterior and precuneus. Each structure was rated according to the visual classification size as 0 – a normal size without atrophy, 1 – a borderline finding or 2 – a considerable atrophy. These ratings were summarized into one score for each hemisphere and then these two were integrated into one score for the entire brain. Using a visual rating scale, we classified the parietal regions in 74 elderly subjects with a normal Mini-Mental State Examination score (29 ± 1 point) with a wide range of ages between 48– 87 years.

Results:
Increasing age is associated with a mild progression of the parietal lobe atrophy (r = 0.2; p = 0.05). The overall score of the parietal tissue was not associated with education, gender or hand dominance.

Conclusion:
Our new visual rating system of parietal atrophy is an easy and fast method for use in clinical practice. Natural aging is accompanied with negligible parietal atrophic changes.

Key words:
parietal atrophy – magnetic resonance imaging – Alzheimer‘s disease – normal aging – sulcus cingularis posterior – precuneus – parietal gyri

The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.

The Editorial Board declares that the manu script met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers

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