Computer-mediated measurement and subjective ratings of white matter hyperintensities in vascular dementia: relationships to neuropsychological performance

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are frequently found on MRI studies of vascular dementia (VaD) patients. As several studies have demonstrated that WMHs are often associated with severity of illness, cognitive impairment, and functional decline, the accurate and reliable measurement of WMHs on MRI is an important, yet often overlooked, prerequisite for accurate interpretation of neuroimaging studies. Using a sample of 39 VaD patients, we evaluated the reliability and validity of a visual ordinal rating scale and a computer-mediated thresholding technique to evaluate WMHs. Results indicated the computer-mediated technique had slightly stronger inter-rater reliability than the visual ordinal rating scale. Furthermore, the computer-mediated thresholding technique was correlated with measures of neuropsychological functioning believed to be compromised in VaD (i.e., psychomotor speed, executive functioning) while the visual rating scale was not. Results suggest that this computer-mediated thresholding technique is superior to visual ratings of WMHs.