brain MRI

what is the meaning of this concllusion: mild microvascular white matter ischemic changes.Otherwise the rest of the examintion appears relatively unremarkable for the patients age at the present time.

thank you.

[Neuro Forum]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to review your imaging, which is not part of our role on this forum, I can not definitively tell you the meaning or implications of your MRI findings, however I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Microvascular ischemic white matter changes, often also referred to as small vessel disease, or small vessel disease, literally meaning diseased small vessels that supply blood flow to the brain. This is not an uncommon process in the brain and increases with age. This is not a disease in and of itself but rather is a reflection of unhealthy blood vessels, damaged by years of plaque build-up. This is most often due to a combination of several factors including the following: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and high cholesterol. If these factors are well controlled, the damage to the brain can be stabilized and further damage prevented.

Conditions that can mimic these findings on MRI include migraine which often causes non-specific and usually inconsequential MRI changes, and multiple sclerosis. However these can be distinguished based on specific MRI findings and the history and other factors.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.