Definition. A
region of high intensity (brightness) observed
upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the spinal cord. [ from HPO]
What causes hyperintensity of spinal cord?
Hyperintense spinal cord signal on T2-weighted images is seen in a wide-ranging variety of spinal cord processes. Causes including
simple MR artefacts, trauma, primary and secondary tumours
, radiation myelitis and diastematomyelia were discussed in Part A.
What is spinal cord hyperintensity?
Abstract. Intramedullary cord hyperintensity at T2-weighted MRI is
a common imaging feature of disease in the spinal cord
, but it is nonspecific. Radiologists play a valuable role in helping narrow the differential diagnosis by integrating patient history and laboratory test results with key imaging characteristics.
What is hyperintense signal on MRI?
Introduction. A common finding in older adults is the presence of signal hyperintensities (SH) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SH are
areas of increased intensity appearing on T2-weighted images
and are thought to reflect damage to the white matter and subcortical nuclei.
What does hyperintense signal mean?
A hyperintensity or T2 hyperintensity is
an area of high intensity on types of magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) scans of the brain of a human or of another mammal that reflect lesions produced largely by demyelination and axonal loss.
What is T2 hyperintensity symptoms?
Patients were categorized as to whether they had symptoms and signs possibly related to T2 hypersignals (
paraesthesia, vertigo, gait control
), or unlikely to be specifically related to demyelination (isolated fatigue, headaches, trauma, endocrinopathy).
What does abnormal signal in MRI mean?
Abnormal brightness on a T2 image indicates
a disease process such
as trauma, infection, or cancer.
What is an abnormal spinal cord signal?
When the abnormal cord signal is present in equal or less than 2 contiguous vertebral bodies,
a short-segment myelopathy
is considered. Likewise, signal compromising a longer area would be considered a long-segment or longitudinally extensive myelopathy (Table).
What is abnormal signal intensity?
Focal areas of signal intensity (FASI), alternatively called focal abnormal signal intensity are
bright areas on T2-weighted images commonly identified in
the basal ganglia (often the globus pallidus), thalamus, brainstem (pons), cerebellum, and subcortical white matter in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
What does Hydrosyringomyelia mean?
sy·rin·go·my·e·li·a. (si-ring’gō-mī-ē’lē-ă)
The presence in the spinal cord of longitudinal cavities lined by dense, gliogenous tissue
, which are not caused by vascular insufficiency.
What does white matter on an MRI mean?
White matter disease is commonly detected on brain MRI of aging individuals as
white matter hyperintensities (WMH), or ‘leukoaraiosis
.” Over the years it has become increasingly clear that the presence and extent of WMH is a radiographic marker of small cerebral vessel disease and an important predictor of the life- …
What is the difference between hypointense and hyperintense?
Often we refer to the appearance by relative terms: hyperintense = brighter than the thing we are comparing it to. isointense = same brightness as the thing we are comparing it to.
hypointense = darker than the
thing we are comparing it to.
Is T2 hyperintensity common?
White matter hyperintensities (WMH) lesions on T2 and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) brain MRI are very common findings in elderly cohorts and their prevalence increases from
15% at the age of 60 to 80% at the age of 80
[1–4].
What is the life expectancy of someone with white matter disease?
It is not possible to stop disease progression, and it is typically
fatal within 6 months to 4 years of symptom onset
. People with the juvenile form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, which develops between the age of 4 and adolescence, may live for many years after diagnosis.
What is the meaning of hypointense?
Filters
.
(especially of an image) Less than usually intense
.
What does it mean when you have white matter in your brain?
White matter disease is
a disease that affects the nerves that link various parts of the brain to each other and to the spinal cord
. These nerves are also called white matter. White matter disease causes these areas to decline in their functionality. This disease is also referred to as leukoaraiosis.
