title: The Pattern of Brain Microhemorrhages After Severe Lung Failure Resembles the One Seen in High-Altitude Cerebral Edema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After suffering from severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, several patients show generalized brain alterations and atrophy. A distinctive morphologic pattern of cerebral injury, however, has not been found so far.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present the history of three patients who survived severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. In these patients, MRI of the brain showed multiple microhemorrhages predominantly in the splenium of the corpus callosum. An identical pattern of microhemorrhages has previously been described in mountaineers who suffered from high-altitude cerebral edema.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report demonstrates that patients after treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome and high-altitude cerebral edema show congruent cerebral injuries. Further investigation into the similarities of the causative conditions and neurologic consequences might reveal underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms and clinical implications of this observation.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Anesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. 2Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. 3Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Clinic, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riech
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kallenberg
authors.forename: Onnen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Moerer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hellen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bärtsch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knauth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000473:pathology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency