Paolo Zamboni1, Erica Menegatti1,
Bianca Weinstock-Guttman2, Michael G. Dwyer3, Claudiu
V. Schirda3, Anna M. Malagoni1, David Hojnacki2,
Cheryl Kennedy3, Ellen Carl3, Niels Bergsland3,
Christopher Magnano3, Ilaria Bartolomei1, Fabrizio
Salvi1, Robert Zivadinov4
1University of Ferrera- Bellaria Neurosciences,
Vascular Diseases Center, Ferrera, Italy; 2University at Buffalo,
The Jacobs Neurological Institute, Buffalo, NY, United States; 3University
at Buffalo, Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Buffalo, NY, United States;
4University at Buffalo, Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center\,
Buffalo, NY, United States
Chronic
cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a vascular condition described
in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, characterized by stenoses of the main
extracranial veins with hampered cerebral venous outflow. We hypothesized
that the impaired venous outflow contributes to hypoperfusion of brain
parenchyma, as measured by perfusion-weighted imaging. CCSVI was established
based on the venous hemodynamic (VH) Doppler criteria. There was a
significant strong association between VH criteria and PWI indices in all
examined regions of the brain parenchyma in MS patients. This study
demonstrates that severity of CCSVI is directly associated with hypoperfusion
of the brain parenchyma in MS.