Cerebral atrophy: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Also written as: brain atrophy, volume loss, parenchymal volume loss, involutional changes

Cerebral atrophy means the brain has lost some volume, so its grooves and fluid spaces look wider. A mild degree is normal with age.

What it means

The brain's surface is folded into ridges and grooves (sulci), with fluid-filled chambers (ventricles) in the middle. When brain tissue shrinks, the grooves widen and the chambers grow, and the extra room fills with fluid. Atrophy can be generalized, across the whole brain, or focal, mainly in one region. The word describes this appearance, not a specific disease.

When it matters

Some volume loss is a normal part of aging, so reports often say whether it is appropriate for age. Doctors look more closely when it is more than expected for age. They also look closely when it mainly affects one area, such as the memory centers (hippocampi) in the temporal lobes. Heavy alcohol use, past strokes and head injuries can also cause it. Your doctor may compare with older scans or suggest memory testing if you have symptoms.

Questions to ask your doctor

Is this amount of volume loss normal for my age?
Does it affect the whole brain, or mainly certain areas?
Would memory testing or comparison with older scans help?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.