J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2006 Mar;39(3):210-214.

Microbleeds in Patients with Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhages

• Kim IM
• Yim MB
• Son EI
• Sohn SI
• Sohn CH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We investigate risk factors of cerebral microbleeds(MBs) and their relation to concomitant magnetic resonance (MR) findings in intracerebral hemorrhages(ICHs) patients.
METHODS
We studied 100 consecutive patients with primary ICH over a 1-year period. These patients underwent brain MR images using 3.0-T scanners within the first week of the hemorrhage. MBs and old hematomas were located and counted by using T2*-weighted gradient-echo MR imaging. We also counted lacunes and graded white matter and periventricular hyperintensity on T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences. The association between MBs and vascular risk factors and MR abnormalities were analyzed.
RESULTS
MBs were seen in 77 of ICH patients, and their number ranged from 1 to 65 lesions (mean 11, median 6). The locations of MBs were subcortex-cortex (40.6%), basal ganglia (26.7%), thalamus (14.1%), brain stem (12.5%), and cerebellum (9.1%). Analysis of clinical data revealed that age, hypertension, history of stroke, and duration of hypertension were frequently associated with MBs. The incidence of lacunes, old hematomas, and advanced leukoaraiosis was significantly higher in the MBs group, compared with the patients without MBs.
CONCLUSION
MBs are frequently observed in ICH patients with advancing age, chronic hypertension, and previous hemorrhagic stroke, and are also closely related with morphological signs of occlusive type microangiopathy, such as lacunar infarct and severe leukoaraiosis.

Keyword

Intracerebral hemorrhage; Magnetic resonance image; Microbleed; Hypertension; Microangiopathy

MeSH Terms

Basal Ganglia
Brain
Brain Stem
Cerebellum
Cerebral Hemorrhage*
Hematoma
Hemorrhage
Humans
Hypertension
Incidence
Leukoaraiosis
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Risk Factors
Stroke
Stroke, Lacunar
Thalamus