title: [Value of MRI in intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage].
abstract: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 15% of all strokes. In hyperacute emergency assessment, CT is the diagnostic standard for differentiating between hyperacute ICH and ischemic stroke. At this stage, MRI is considered to be of little value for the diagnosis of ICH or subarachnoidal hemorrhage (SAH). We review the current literature and characterize the role of MRI in the diagnosis of ICH and SAH as well as hyperacute stroke in general: While MRI is considered superior to CT in the diagnosis of subacute and chronic ICH/SAH, in hyperacute ICH this is still a matter of debate. MRI signal characteristics of ICH depend on hemoglobin degradation. Deoxyhemoglobin is the MRI substrate for demonstration of blood due to its paramagnetic properties causing signal loss on susceptibility weighted images (T2*-WI). Preliminary data, however, suggest that the sensitivity of modern stroke MRI protocols is sufficiently high for hyperacute ICH and SAH and may render additional information with regard to the etiology of ICH or SAH. Further interest is focused on perihemorrhagic pathophysiologic processes, which may help to improve therapeutic decision making in patients with ICH.
authors.affiliation: Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikums Heidelberg, Kopfklinik, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg. Peter_Schellinger@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Schellinger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fiebach
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kollmar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Schäbitz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sartor
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hacke
mesh_terms: D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed