[Cerebral microbleeds detected on T2-weighted gradient echo magnetic resonance and its clinical significance]

To explore the diagnostic value of T2-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and its clinical significance.

The distribution of CMBs and follow-up observations were performed by routine T1WI, T2WI and T2-weighted gradient echo sequence in 634 patients clinically suspected for stroke.

In 149 patients, a total of 1140 CMBs occurred predominantly in cortex-subcortical area (n = 471, 41.31%), basal ganglia (n = 289, 25.35%), thalamus (n = 199, 17.45%), brain stem (n = 90, 7.89%) and cerebellum (n = 91, 7.98%). Among them, 137 patients had various degrees of ischemic brain changes, displayed iso-intensity or hypo-intensity on T1WI, hyper-intensity on T2WI and FLAIR in basal ganglia, white matter around sided ventricle and brain stem. There were 23 patients with cerebral infarction and 5 with CMBs after hemorrhagic brain stroke. And 12 of them had new hemorrhagic stroke in 2-6 months.

T2-weighted gradient echo MRI has obvious advantages in the detection of CMBs. The presence of CMBs suggests a risk of cerebral hemorrhage.