Description
With the advent of modern neuro-imaging a large number of elderly patients are found to have white matter hypodensities on brain CT scanning, or white matter hyperintensities on MRI. This review examines the pathological causes of these changes and discusses their interpretation and clinical significance. The term leukoariosis is often used to describe such changes, which have been found in up to 90% of patients with vascular dementia and between 20% and 60% of patients with Alzheimers Disease. The changes can also be found in older patients with no apparent neurological deficit, though on subtle testing of cognitive function the majority of such patients will be found to have a degree of impairment.
