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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
Assessing Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts on High Resolution MR Images
Published on: November 20, 2015
Detection of traumatic cerebral microbleeds by susceptibility-weighted image of MRI
Jong-Hwa Park1, Seung-Won Park, Suk-Hyung Kang
1Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Yongsan Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Objective:
Susceptibility-weighted image (SWI) is a sensitive magnetic resonance image (MRI) technique to detect cerebral microbleeds (MBLs), which would not be detected by conventional MRI. We performed SWI to detect MBLs and investigated its usefulness in the evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) patients.
Methods:
From December 2006 to June 2007, twenty-one MTBI patients without any parenchymal hemorrhage on conventional MRI were selected. Forty-two patients without trauma were selected for control group. According to the presence of MBLs, we divided the MTBI group into MBLs positive [SWI (+)] and negative [SWI (-)] group. Regional distribution of MBLs and clinical factors were compared between groups.
Results:
Fifty-one MBLs appeared in 16 patients of SWI (+) group and 16 MBLs in 10 patients of control group [control (+)], respectively. In SWI (+) group, MBLs were located more frequently in white matters than in deep nucleus different from the control (+) group (p < 0.05). Nine patients (56.3%) of SWI (+) group had various neurological deficits (disorientation in 4, visual field defect in 2, hearing difficulty in 2 and Parkinson syndrome in 1). Initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)/mean Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) were 13.9 +/- 1.5 / 4.7 +/- 0.8 and 15.0 +/- 0.0 / 5.0 +/- 0.0 in SWI (+) and SWI (-) groups, respectively (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Traumatic cerebral MBLs showed characteristic regional distribution, and seemed to have an importance on the initial neurological status and the prognosis. SWI is useful for detection of traumatic cerebral MBLs, and can provide etiologic evidences for some post-traumatic neurologic deficits which were unexplainable with conventional MRI.
Insights
Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) detects cerebral microbleeds in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) patients. These microbleeds correlate with neurological deficits and impact patient prognosis, offering insights beyond conventional MRI.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Radiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral microbleeds (MBLs) are often undetectable by conventional MRI.
- Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a sensitive MRI technique for MBL detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of SWI in detecting MBLs in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) patients.
- To investigate the relationship between MBLs and clinical factors in MTBI.
Main Methods:
- SWI was performed on 21 MTBI patients and 42 controls.
- MTBI patients were categorized into MBL-positive (SWI+) and MBL-negative (SWI-) groups.
- Regional distribution of MBLs and clinical factors were compared.
Main Results:
- MBLs were detected in 16 MTBI patients (SWI+) and 10 controls (control+).
- MBLs in the SWI+ group showed a distinct white matter distribution compared to controls.
- Neurological deficits and poorer initial neurological status (lower GCS/GOS) were observed in the SWI+ group.
Conclusions:
- Traumatic MBLs have a characteristic distribution and are significant for initial neurological status and prognosis.
- SWI is valuable for detecting traumatic MBLs, explaining some post-traumatic deficits not visible on conventional MRI.
