Phenotype and neuroimaging in cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Underpinned by clinical observation, cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) has emerged from the doldrums of relatively little research activity to take center stage as a prototype in the application of pathologic, genetic, and neuroimaging studies.1 Initially identified as a frequent accompaniment of Alzheimer disease, CAA has revealed its own contribution to dementia, lobar hemorrhage, transient focal neurologic episodes (TFNEs), and encephalopathy associated with CAA inflammation or β-amyloid angiitis. Radiologic research, particularly with the application of blood-sensitive MRI sequences, has complemented pathologic study. MRI markers suggest potential target endpoints for research into prevention strategies.