Publication: BBB Lab
Plasma volume fraction in drug-resistant epilepsy: A DCE-MRI marker of microvascular pathology
The study explores how tiny blood vessels in the brain may play a role in drug‑resistant epilepsy. Researchers used a specialized MRI technique to measure plasma volume fraction (vₚ)—a marker that reflects changes in the brain’s microvasculature. They found that vₚ highlights small, focused areas of abnormal blood vessel function, sometimes more precisely than traditional measures of blood–brain barrier leakage. When both markers are combined, doctors may be able to pinpoint the brain regions involved in epilepsy more accurately.
Overall, the findings suggest that advanced MRI tools could help improve presurgical evaluation and deepen our understanding of how vascular changes contribute to epilepsy.