Perivascular Space Essay

Virchow-Robin (VR) spaces or perivascular spaces of the brain refer to spaces that accompany the cerebral vessels as they pass from subarachnoid space into the brain parenchyma. A few evident perivascular spaces can be considered normal at any age but many visible perivascular spaces are not. The relevance of visible perivascular spaces to SVD is shown by their presence in increased numbers in patients with white matter hyper-intensities and with symptomatic lacunar ischemic stroke. The relevance of visible perivascular spaces to CSVD is shown by their presence in increased numbers in patients with white matter hyper-intensities and with symptomatic lacunar ischemic stroke. Perivascular spaces are evident on T2-weighted or T1-weighted MRI since they contain increased fluid in comparison to the surrounding tissue). …show more content…
It is vital to differentiate dilated VR spaces from other cerebral pathologies such as ventricular diverticulae, cystic neoplasms, periventricular leukomalacia, parasitic cysts, cystic infarction, and mucopolysaccharidoses. Cystic neoplasms do not manifest pure CSF intensity. Parasitic cysts like neurocysticercosis usually have a small scolex with enhancing cyst walls. Patients with mucopolysaccharidoses have certain characteristic clinical features. Lacunar infarctions are characterized by hyper-intensity in the surrounding brain parenchyma. In premature infants, periventricular leukomalacia is common and loss of white matter is apparent in periventricular regions [4]. Dilated Virchow-Robin spaces strongly correlate with silent ischemic lesions in our patients with a first lacunar