The early microvascular changes related to cerebral small vessel disease are still unclear. In this study, we applied a T1-weighted turbo spin echo sequence with variable flip angles for high resolution black-blood MRI to delineate the lenticulostriate arteries (LSA) at 3T. The vessel delineation was rated using a 4-point scale, and then correlated with clinical vascular risk factors as well as measures of executive function, cognitive flexibility and attention. LSA ratings were found to be reliable. Subjects with >4 visible LSA that were minimally tortuous exhibited positive trends with executive function, and male subjects tended to have poorer LSA delineation.
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