Brain MRIs migraine sufferers reveal abnormalities in cortical thickness and some surface area. These measurements could improve understanding of migraines.
Magnetic resonance imaging of brains of patients with migraines reveals abnormalities in cortical thickness and some surface area, according to a study published online in the journal Radiology.
Italian researchers used MRI to acquire T2-weighted and 3-D T1-weighted brain images from 81 subjects - 63 patients who had migraines and 18 healthy controls -to assess cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in patients with migraine. These are two components of cortical volume that provide different and complementary pieces of information, Massimo Filippi, MD, said in a release. Filippi is the director of the Neuroimaging Research Unit at the University Ospedale San Raffaele and professor of neurology at the University Vita-Salute’s San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan.
The study’s findings showed that, compared with the controls, patients with migraines had reduced cortical thickness and surface area in regions of the brain that are related to pain processing. There was only a minimal overlap of cortical thickness and cortical surface area abnormalities, with cortical surface area abnormalities being more pronounced and distributed than cortical thickness abnormalities.
Aura and white matter hyperintensities - areas of high intensity on MRI that appear to be most common among migraineurs - was related to the regional distribution of cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities, but not to disease duration and attack frequency.
The study authors acknowledged that more research is required to further understand these findings, but Filippi said, “Accurate measurements of cortical thickness abnormalities could help characterize migraine patients better and improve understanding of the pathophysiological processes underlying the condition.”
Researchers are continuing a longitudinal study of the patient group to assess the stability of the cortical abnormalities, as well as the effects of treatments on the observed modifications of cortical folding. They are also looking at children who have migraines, to see if the abnormalities could be a biomarker.
FDA Clears Enhanced MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System
June 5th 2025An alternative to an open neurosurgical approach, the Visualase V2 MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System reportedly utilizes laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for targeted soft tissue ablation in patients with brain tumors and focal epilepsy.
Can Abbreviated MRI Have an Impact in Differentiating Intraductal Papilloma and Ductal Secretion?
June 3rd 2025For patients with inconclusive ultrasound results, abbreviated breast MRI offers comparable detection of intraductal papilloma as a full breast MRI protocol at significantly reduced times for scan acquisition and interpretation, according to a new study.
FDA Issues Expanded Pediatric Approval of MRI Contrast Agent for Lung Ventilation Assessment
June 2nd 2025Previously approved for MRI lung ventilation evaluation in adults and children 12 and older, the hyperpolarized contrast agent Xenoview can now be utilized for pediatric patients six years and older.