Quantitative analysis of MRI-visible perivascular spaces in schizophrenia

Motivation: Perivascular spaces(PVS) are fluid-filled spaces that surround blood vessels in the brain. While dilated PVS(dPVS) play an important role, investigations into dPVS in schizophrenia are poorly understood. Goal(s): In this study, we aim to explore the potential of dPVS quantification as a biomarker for schizophrenia. Approach: For volumetric assessment, we segmented the dPVS in the white matter(WM) and basal ganglia(BG), and calculated the volumes and numbers of dPVS for each subject. Results: Our findings reveal differences in dPVS numbers and volumes among schizophrenia subgroups, especially in treatment-resistant schizophrenia(TRS) which showed smaller dPVS volumes compared to other groups in both WM and BG. Impact: Our study offers insights into the potential of dPVS quantification as a biomarker for schizophrenia. We observed differences in total dPVS volumes and number of dPVS components between different schizophrenia subgroups and found significant results especially in TRS.