Direct comparison of histology of microbleeds with postmortem MR images: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Although the clinical significance of so-called microbleeds (MBs) in gradient-echo MR images (GRE-MRI) has been extensively researched, the histopathological evaluation is notably insufficient.


METHODS
Postmortem GRE-MRI was obtained of water-immersed formalin-fixed tissue blocks from a 97-year-old hypertensive woman with 9 antemortem MBs. Histologic slides were compared with those of MRI.


RESULTS
Microscopic examination revealed clusters of hemosiderin-laden macrophages in 8 MBs and arteriolar pseudocalcification in 1 MB in the left pallidum. Hypertensive microangiopathies were found in 5 lesions. The sizes of the lesions with hemosiderin deposits were roughly comparable with the MBs of GRE-MRI.


CONCLUSIONS
All of the MBs but for 1 exception were proved to be hemosiderin deposits and frequently associated with hypertensive microangiopathy.
Department of Neurology, Osaka Saiseikai Nakatsu Hospital, Osaka, Japan. shinsuit@nakatsu.saiseikai.or.jp
Shinsui
S
Tatsumi
Miho
M
Shinohara
Toru
T
Yamamoto
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods
D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006485:Hemosiderin