Unveiling pathophysiological mechanisms in cerebral small vessel disease: novel insights from quantitative MRI

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a condition in which damage to the brain’s small blood vessels contributes to strokes, dementia, and cognitive decline. This thesis investigated how advanced MRI techniques can enhance the understanding of its underlying mechanisms.
The research focused on improving MRI methods to assess blood-brain barrier disruption, microvascular density, and cerebral blood flow. A more time-efficient MRI protocol was developed, and a deep-learning-based analysis improved image quality and accuracy. Additionally, these advanced MRI techniques were used to characterize microvascular changes in cSVD, revealing a reduction in the small blood vessels. These findings suggest that microvascular loss may serve as an early indicator of cSVD, paving the way for improved diagnosis and potential treatments.