Abstract
Aim: Our intention was to create a simple visual evaluation of parietal atrophy on MRI of the brain useful in identifying neurodegenerative dementias, especially Alzheimer's disease. We assessed the changes of the parietal regions during natural aging.
Patients and methods: We created a new rating scale that we named the Parietal atrophy score. This method is based on semiquantitative scoring of three structures on coronal slices in the entire parietal lobe: parietal gyri, sulcus cingularis posterior and precuneus.
Each structure was rated according to the visual classification size as 0 - a normal size without atrophy, 1 - a borderline finding or 2 - a considerable atrophy. These ratings were sum marized into one score for each hemisphere and then these two were integrated into one score for the entire brain.
Using a visual rating scale, we classified the parietal regions in 74 elderly subjects with a normal Mini-Mental State Examination score (29 +/- 1 point) with a wide range of ages between 48-87 years. Results: Increasing age is associated with a mild progression of the parietal lobe atrophy (r = 0.2; p = 0.05).
The over all score of the parietal tissue was not associated with education, gender or hand dominance. Conclusion: Our new visual rating system of parietal atrophy is an easy and fast method for use in clinical practice.
Natural aging is accompanied with negligible parietal atrophic changes.