Virchow-Robin spaces : an anatomic variant or a pathologic sign?

Virchow-Robin spaces surround blood vessels. Their walls are formed by prolongations of the pia mater and they have no communication with the subarachnoid space. VRS are often seen as well-delineated foci of cerebrospinal fluid signal on MR images. They are often located at the basal ganglia level, aggregating around anterior brain commissure. They are also found in the midbrain, hemisphere white matter and insular cortex. In spite of the fact, that VRS are described in usual radiological practice, there is no uniform definition of the dilated and normal forms of VRS. In this paper, we present the etiology, pathogenetic aspects and current opinions concerning Virchow-Robin spaces, based on the literature data and own clinical cases.