Perimesencephalic hemorrhage: a nonaneurysmal and benign form of subarachnoid hemorrhage.
We studied 28 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and normal angiograms. On early CT (within 5 days) in 13 cases, blood was seen mainly or only in the cisterns around the midbrain. This pattern of hemorrhage was found in only 1 of 92 patients with a ruptured aneurysm. None of the unexplained perimesencephalic hemorrhages was associated with intracerebral hematoma or intraventricular hemorrhage. The clinical features also differed from those of aneurysmal hemorrhage; loss of consciousness was rare, and after 3 months, all 13 patients had returned to normal life. The cause of this benign disorder remains elusive, but a venous or capillary source seems likely.
D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed