Hyperintensities of the Optic Radiation on T2-Weighted MR Images of Elderly Subjects
Mika Kitajima
,a,
Yukunori Korogia,
Tomoko Okudaa,
Shin-ya Shiraishia,
Osamu Ikedaa,
Shoji Morishitaa,
Mutsumasa Takahashia and
Komyo Etoa
a From the Department of Radiology, Kumamoto Rousai Hospital, Yatsushiro, Japan (M.K., S.S., O.I., S.M.); the Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan (M.K., Y.K., T.O., M.T.); and the National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, Japan (K.E.).
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FIG 1. Age-specific prevalence (%) of hyperintensities of the optic radiation and/or its surrounding structures increases with age. HI-OR indicates hyperintensity at or around the optic radiation
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FIG 2. A, Coronal high-resolution T2-weighted image (4000/128/2) of a 65-year-old woman shows linear hyperintensities of the tapetum on both sides (arrows).
B, Coronal high-resolution T2-weighted image (4000/128/2) of a 78-year-old woman shows thick laminar hyperintensities of the optic radiation (short arrows) and other linear hyperintensities of the tapetum (arrowheads) on both sides. The hypointense structure between the optic radiation and the tapetum is the internal sagittal stratum (long arrows).
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FIG 3. Relationship between the grade of white matter hyperintensities and the number of patients in each group. The frequency (%) of hyperintensity of the optic radiation and/or its surrounding structures correlated well with severity of other white matter hyperintensities. HI-OR indicates hyperintensity at or around the optic radiation
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FIG 4. A, Coronal specimen from an 88-year-old woman shows blurring of the three layers: external sagittal stratum or the optic radiation (E), internal sagittal stratum (I), and tapetum (T). All three layers are pale relative to adjacent white matter. Infarcted area is also observed at the superior periventricular white matter (arrowhead). LV indicates lateral ventricle; C, medial occipital cortex. Klüver-Barrera method, original magnification x 4.
B, Coronal specimen from a 73-year-old man shows loss of distinction between the external sagittal stratum or the optic radiation and the internal sagittal stratum (arrows). This area is pale relative to adjacent white matter. Patchy pallor lesions are also observed in the white matter adjacent to the external sagittal stratum (arrowheads). LV indicates lateral ventricle; C, lateral occipital cortex. Klüver-Barrera method, original magnification x 4.
C, Coronal specimen from a 79-year-old man shows thinning of the three layers: external sagittal stratum or the optic radiation (E), internal sagittal stratum (I), and tapetum (T). LV indicates lateral ventricle; C, medial occipital cortex. Klüver-Barrera method, original magnification x 4.
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