Virchow-Robin spaces

Virchow-Robin spaces

Virchow-Robin spaces, or enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) are spaces (often only potential) that surround blood vessels for a short distance as they enter the brain. Their wall is formed by prolongations of the pia mater.

Function

They contain macrophages and lymphocytes and have been suggested to be the site of entry for these cells of the immune system to the CSF.

The spaces function as pathways for the drainage of interstitial fluid, are in direct connection with the subpial space, separated by a single layer of pia mater from the subarachnoid space and are in communication with lymphatic channels of the head and neck, leading to cervical lymph nodes.

Appearance

Virchow-Robin spaces appear as punctate or linear hyperintensities, isodense with cerebrovascular fluid on T2-weighted images, in the centrum semiovale, basal ganglia, and the hippocampus.cite journal |author=Maclullich AM, Wardlaw JM, Ferguson KJ, Starr JM, Seckl JR, Deary IJ |title=Enlarged perivascular spaces are associated with cognitive function in healthy elderly men |journal=J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. |volume=75 |issue=11 |pages=1519–23 |year=2004 |month=November |pmid=15489380 |doi=10.1136/jnnp.2003.030858 |url=http://jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=15489380]

Clinical significance

While in some people they may be both numerous and widespread throughout the brain and like white matter lesions, Virchow-Robin spaces are not usually present in the brains of healthy young adults. The presence of Virchow-Robin has been associated with multiple diseases.

This space is involved in Perivascular Cuffing seen in meningoencephalitis & encephalitis where there are infiltrates of mononuclear cells. [cite book | author=Schneider & Szanto |title=BRS Pathology |edition=3rd Edition |publisher=Lipincott Williams & Wilkins |year=2006]

Eponym

Virchow-Robin spaces are also called His' perivascular spaces and perivascular spaces. They are named after Rudolf Virchow and Charles-Philippe Robin (French anatomist, 1821–1885). [WhoNamedIt|synd|43]

References

External links

* http://rad.usuhs.edu/medpix/medpix.html?mode=factoid_images&recnum=1502


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Virchow-Robin spaces — Vir·chow Rob·in spaces (fērґko ro băґ) [R.L.K. Virchow; Charles Philippe Robin, French anatomist, 1821–1885] see under space …   Medical dictionary

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  • Virchow-Robin space — Vir·chow Ro·bin space fir .kō rō ban n any of the spaces that surround blood vessels as they enter the brain and that communicate with the subarachnoid space Virchow Rudolf Ludwig Karl (1821 1902) German pathologist, anthropologist, and statesman …   Medical dictionary

  • Charles-Philippe Robin — (4 June 1821–5 October 1885) was a French anatomist, biologist, and histologist who was born in Jasseron, département Ain. He studied medicine in Paris, and while still a student took a scientific journey with Hermann Lebert to Normandy and the… …   Wikipedia

  • Rudolf Virchow — Rudolph Carl Virchow Rudolph Virchow Born 13 October 1821 Schivelbein, Pomerania …   Wikipedia

  • perivascular spaces — spaces, often only potential, that surround blood vessels for a short distance as they enter the brain; their inner wall is formed by a prolongation of a membrane like the arachnoid, and the outer wall by a continuation of the pia; the… …   Medical dictionary

  • List of human anatomical parts named after people — This is a list of human anatomical parts named after people. :For other lists of eponyms (names derived from people) see eponym.:For a list of eponyms sorted by name see List of eponyms.Alphabetical listFor clarity, entries are listed by the name …   Wikipedia

  • Hyperintensities — Hyperitensities refer to areas of high intensity on particular types of magnetic resonance imaging scans of the human brain. These small regions of high intensity are observed on T2 images within cerebral white matter or subcortical gray matter.… …   Wikipedia

  • pial funnel — a sheath of adventitia, extended from the pia mater, loosely surrounding blood vessels as they enter the brain or spinal cord; see also Virchow Robin spaces, under space …   Medical dictionary

  • space — Any demarcated portion of the body, either an area of the surface, a segment of the tissues, or a cavity. SEE ALSO: area, region, zone. SYN: spatium [TA]. [L. spatium, room, s.] alveolar dead s …   Medical dictionary

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