Brain unidentified bright objects (“UBO”) in systemic lupus erythematosus: sometimes they come back. A study of microembolism by cMRI and Transcranial Doppler ultrasound:

ObjectivesThe objectives of this report are to assess the occurrence of microembolic signals (MES) detected by transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with (NPSLE) and without (SLE) neuropsychiatric involvement, and to verify the correlation between MES, clinical characteristics, especially the patent foramen ovale (PFO), and the presence of punctuate T2-hyperintense white matter lesions (WMHLs) detected by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI).MethodsA TCD registration to detect MES from the middle cerebral artery was carried out in SLE and NPSLE patients after exclusion of aortic and/or carotid atheromatous disease. In all patients conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) and transesophageal echocardiography were performed. Patients were stratified in two groups, with and without WMHLs, and compared.ResultsTwenty-three SLE patients (16 NPSLE and seven SLE) were enrolled in the study. Overall MES were detected in 12 patients (52.1%), WHMLs...