Abstract #4534

Hemodialysis can contribute to acute changes in cerebral volume and white matter structure

Madeleine T Dacey^1,2,3, Stefan E Poirier^1,3, Janice Gomes^2,4, Udunna C Anazodo^1,3, and Christopher W McIntyre^1,2

¹Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada, ²Kidney Clinical Research Unit, Lawson Health Sciences Center, London, ON, Canada, ³Imaging, Lawson Health Research Insitute, London, ON, Canada, ⁴Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada

Cognitive impairment and white matter degeneration are common in hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis can severely impede blood flow and create osmotic imbalances in the brain. This may cause brain injury by a mechanism similar to that of stroke. To investigate the acute effects of hemodialysis on the brain, we used a novel system to perform diffusion and T1 weighted MRI scans during hemodialysis. Several tracts exhibit diffusion tensor imaging markers for cytotoxic and ionic edema. Increased white and grey matter volume during hemodialysis further support the presence of ionic edema. Ionic and cytotoxic edema are evidence of acute brain injury.

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