Deep medullary vein damage correlates with small vessel disease in small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke

Objectives We aim to investigate whether cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) imaging markers correlate with deep medullary vein (DMV) damage in small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke (SVO-AIS) patients. Methods The DMV was divided into six segments according to the regional anatomy. The total DMV score (0–18) was calculated based on segmental continuity and visibility. The damage of DMV was grouped according to the quartiles of the total DMV score. Neuroimaging biomarkers of cSVD including white matter hyperintensity (WMH), cerebral microbleed (CMB), perivascular space (PVS), and lacune were identified. The cSVD score were further analyzed. Results We included 229 SVO-AIS patients, the mean age was 63.7 ± 23.1 years, the median NIHSS score was 3 (IQR, 2–6). In the severe DMV burden group (the 4th quartile), the NIHSS score grade (6 (3–9)) was significantly higher than other groups ( p