ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the visibility of intracranial deep medullary vein (DMV) by sensitivity weighted imaging (SWI), and explore its correlation with recent small subcortical infarct (RSSI).Methods:From March 2021 to May 2022, 277 patients with cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD) confirmed by cranial MRI in Department of Neurology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, were consecutively enrolled. These patients were divided into RSSI group ( n=128) and non-RSSI group ( n=149) according to RSSI presence or not within one week of onset. According to the DMV scores, these patients were divided into mild-moderate DMV group (0-12 scores, n=199) and severe DMV group (13-18 scores, n=78). The clinical and imaging data of these groups were analyzed retrospectively and compared. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between DMV and RSSI, as well as the independent influencing factors for DMV grading. Results:The cerebral microbleed (CMB), periventricular white matter hyperintensity (WMH) scores, deep WMH scores, total WMH scores, total CSVD burden scores, and DMV scores in patients of the RSSI group were significantly higher than those in the non-RSSI group ( P<0.05); and patients in the RSSI group had significantly younger age and significantly lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level than those in the non-RSSI group ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that DMV score ( OR=1.142, 95%CI: 1.026-1.271, P=0.016) was an independent influencing factor for RSSI after adjusting for HDL-C and deep WMH scores. The severe DMV group had significantly older age, statistically higher percentages of patients having history of hypertension, CMB, lacuna and moderate to severe EPVS in basal ganglia, and significantly higher periventricular WMH scores, deep WMH scores, total WMH scores, and total CSVD burden scores as compared with the mild-moderate DMV group ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR=1.101, 95%CI: 1.060-1.143, P<0.001) and total CSVD burden scores ( OR=3.589, 95%CI: 2.506-5.141, P<0.001) were independent influencing factors for DMV scores. Conclusion:DMV is involved in the mechanism of RSSI, and DMV visibility can be used as an indicator to diagnose RSSI and evaluate RSSI progression.