Imaging Biomarkers of VCI: A Focused Update.

Vascular cognitive impairment is common after stroke, in memory clinics, medicine for the elderly services, and undiagnosed in the community. Vascular disease is said to be the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer disease, yet vascular dysfunction is now known to predate cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease, and most dementias at older ages are mixed. Neuroimaging has a major role in identifying the proportion of vascular versus other likely pathologies in patients with cognitive impairment. Here, we aim to provide a pragmatic but evidence-based summary of the current state of potential imaging biomarkers, focusing on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, which are relevant to diagnosing, estimating prognosis, monitoring vascular cognitive impairment, and incorporating our own experiences. We focus on markers that are well-established, with a known profile of association with cognitive measures, but also consider more recently described, including quantitative tissue markers of vascular injury. We highlight the gaps in accessibility and translation to more routine clinical practice.
Competing Interests: Disclosures Drs Clancy, Maniega, Quinn, Jochems, and Valdés Hernández, A.K. Kancheva, and J.M. Wardlaw report academic research grants as detailed in the Sources of Funding. J.M. Wardlaw chairs the European Stroke Organisation Guideline on small vessel disease. Dr Quinn reports grants from Bristol Myers Squibb and Shionogi and advises on ESO Guidelines.