title: Small-vessel disease in the basal ganglia: lacune or microbleed?
abstract: Brain microbleeds (BMBs) can be detected on the gradient-echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and are considered a risk factor for cognitive impairment and intracerebral hemorrhage. Detailed radiologic findings on the etiology of BMBs and their changes remain scarce. We present a case of subacute change in a BMB in the basal ganglia that mimicked a subacute lacunar infarct. Our findings underscore the need for physicians to be careful to not erroneously diagnose BMBs as lacunar infarctions and prescribe unnecessary antiplatelet medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan. dr.tom.n@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nezu
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arihiro
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minematsu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020144:Basal Ganglia Cerebrovascular Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D020145:Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D059409:Stroke, Lacunar / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents