Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy: MR findings.

PURPOSE To describe the MR appearances of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy.

METHODS MR examinations were performed on 15 family members (both symptomatic and asymptomatic). The phenotype was defined by the presence of abnormalities on MR scanning in genetically susceptible individuals.

RESULTS There were 10 abnormal and 5 normal MR scans. Three subjects with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy had moderate or severe neurologic deficits, 4 had transient focal neurologic symptoms, 2 had migraine, and 1 was asymptomatic (all these had abnormal MR scans). Only 1 subject with migraine had a normal MR. Four other asymptomatic family members had normal scans. Two main abnormalities emerged. First, small, linear, and punctate lesions were identified in the periventricular white matter, brain stem, basal ganglia, and thalamus. Second, large confluent patches of abnormal tissue were present in subcortical regions that often were symmetric and had a tendency to occur in the temporal lobes.

CONCLUSIONS The diffuse myelin loss and small infarcts that cause cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy are well demonstrated with MR. Presymptomatic abnormalities can be seen on MR.