Cerebral microbleeds: a magnetic resonance imaging review of common and less common causes

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are small blood foci often seen in small vessel disease (SVD).
• Hypertensive vasculopathy and cerebral amyloid angiopathy are common causes of CMBs.
• CMBs can also occur in non-SVD conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the MRI characteristics of cerebral microbleeds.
• To discuss associated MRI abnormalities in SVD and non-SVD conditions.
• To highlight the importance of localization and clinical context in identifying CMB origins.

Main Methods:

• Review of MRI techniques sensitive to iron deposits, such as gradient-echo T2*-weighted and susceptibility-weighted imaging.
• Analysis of CMBs and associated abnormalities in various neurological disorders.
• Correlation of imaging findings with patient history and clinical presentation.

Main Results:

• CMBs are best visualized using MRI sequences sensitive to iron.
• Specific MRI patterns and locations aid in differentiating SVD from non-SVD causes.
• Integrated assessment of imaging and clinical data is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• MRI is essential for detecting and characterizing cerebral microbleeds.
• Understanding associated MRI findings aids in diagnosing underlying conditions.
• A comprehensive approach combining imaging, localization, and clinical information is key to determining CMB etiology.