Radiologically Isolated Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy-Related Inflammation

Abstract

In amyloid β-related angiitis of the central nervous system (also called cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation), cerebral amyloid angiopathy occurs in association with primary vasculitis of small- and medium-sized leptomeningeal and cortical arteries. To avoid brain biopsy, clinicoradiological criteria (including clinical features due to inflammation-related uni/multifocal white matter hyperintensities) for the diagnosis of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation have been validated recently. We report 3 cases with acute symptoms directly related to cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the presence of asymptomatic cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation hyperintensities on initial magnetic resonance imaging. Recognizing radiological features of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation in patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy is important because radiological isolated cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation may become symptomatic and immunosuppressive treatment is often effective in cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation, although optimal treatment regimen is yet unknown. In contrast, apart from hypertension treatment, few therapeutic options exist in cerebral amyloid angiopathy.