Sangam Gurudas Shet Kanekar MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

David Ermak, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

1. To discuss in brief physics of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). 2. To discuss the various causes of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and discuss their clinical significance.  

With the development of MRI techniques (gradient-recalled echo and susceptibility-weighted sequences) exquisitely sensitive to paramagnetic blood products, microbleeds are commonly seen on routine brain MRI. The clinical significance remains elusive. We retrospectively studied MRI brain of 1200 patients from PACS system. Axial T2, T1 and SWI images were compared and then were correlated with the clinical and final diagnosis of the patient. The incidence of CMBs was highest with prior history of trauma, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Second and third most common causes were in patient with prior history of stroke/hypertensive encephalopathy, and neurodegenerative diseases such as amyloid angiopathy, Alzheimer disease. Various other causes found on our study include CADASIL, CARASIL, CMBs due to cardiac (endocarditis, myxoma and cardiac valve), Fabry's, vasculitis, post RT, moyamoya, PRES, and blood disorders. Summary: We discuss in brief the physics of SWI sequence and its role in detection of cerebral microbleeds. We give an algorithmic approach in evaluation and mapping of CMBs with respect to their clinical significance.  

http://abstract.rsna.org/uploads/2014/14007300/14007300_e4br.pdf

Kanekar, S, Ermak, D, Cerebral Microbleeds: Causes, Clinical Relevance and Imaging Approach.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14007300.html