Renal artery lesions in patients with moyamoya disease: angiographic findings

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Renal artery lesions in moyamoya disease have been described sporadically in several case reports. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the angiographic findings of renal artery lesions in moyamoya disease and to determine the prevalence of renal artery lesions in patients with moyamoya disease. METHODS: Eighty-six consecutive patients with idiopathic moyamoya disease were prospectively examined with both cerebral angiography and abdominal aortography. The findings of abdominal aortography were reviewed for the presence and appearance of renal artery lesions and compared with the clinical data and cerebral angiographic findings. RESULTS: Of 86 patients with idiopathic moyamoya disease, 7 patients (8%) were found to have renal artery lesions. Six patients (7%) had stenosis in the renal artery, and 1 patient (1%) had a small saccular aneurysm in the renal artery. Two patients (2%) with a marked renal artery stenosis presented with renovascular hypertension, which resulted in an intraventricular hemorrhage in 1 patient. Furthermore, the renal artery stenosis in the 2 patients with renovascular hypertension was successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. There was no significant correlation between the presence of renal artery lesions and cerebral angiographic findings. CONCLUSIONS: Seven (8%) of 86 patients with moyamoya disease showed renal artery lesions, including 6 stenoses (7%) and 1 aneurysm (1%). Renal artery lesions are a clinically relevant systemic manifestation in patients with moyamoya disease.     

Hypertension as a risk factor for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

To better define the etiologic importance of hypertension for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, hospital records were studied for all patients sustaining intracerebral hemorrhage during 1982 in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. Hypertension pre-dating the hemorrhage was present in 45% (69 of 154), as determined by history. A more inclusive definition of hypertension, combining those with a positive history with those found to have left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiogram or cardiomegaly by chest radiography, applied in 56% (87 of 154). The cases were compared to controls with and without hypertension derived from the NHANES II study of blood pressure (n = 16,204) to determine relative risk. For the presence of hypertension by history, the relative risk of intracerebral hemorrhage was 3.9 (95% confidence interval, 2.7 to 5.7). For the inclusive definition of hypertension, the relative risk was 5.4 (3.7 to 7.9). Relative risk was also determined for hypertension in blacks (= 4.4), age greater than 70 (= 7), prior cerebral infarction (= 22), and diabetes (= 3). We conclude that the term "hypertensive hemorrhage" should be used very selectively, particularly in whites, and propose that hypertension be viewed as one of several important risk factors for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.     

Age-related spontaneous intracerebral hematoma in a German community

We investigated incidence, age distribution in relation to etiology, and localization of spontaneous intracerebral hematoma in 100 consecutive cases. Incidence in the total population of the Giessen area was estimated to be greater than 11/100,000 inhabitants/yr and increased with age. There was a trend toward higher incidence in males. Overall mortality was 27%, 22% of 58 patients aged less than 70 years and 33% of 42 patients aged greater than or equal to 70 years. Hypertensive putaminal hematoma showed the highest mortality rate (42%, 10 of 24 cases). Chronic alcoholism and anticoagulant medication influenced the mortality rate unfavourably. We found the following localizations and etiologies to have a specific relation with age: 1) lobar hematomas from vascular malformations, group aged less than 40 years; 2) hypertensive putaminal hematomas and hypertensive thalamic hematomas, group aged 40-69 years; and 3) lobar hematomas, group aged greater than or equal to 70 years. Alcoholism was an additional factor in 38% of the 13 middle-aged men with hypertensive putaminal hematomas. Fourteen cases of spontaneous intracerebral hematoma were possibly due to cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Six of these 14 patients had recurrent lobar hematomas, but only three of the six could be histologically investigated. In these three cases, cerebral amyloid angiopathy was proven.     

成人烟雾病的临床特点及影像分析

目的　研究成人型烟雾病的临床特点、影像表现及其两者的关系。方法　 6 1例经常规血管造影 (包括 DSA)和 MRA确诊的成人型烟雾病患者 (>16岁 )。分析其临床表现及血管造影结果。结果　主要临床表现为突发剧烈头痛、意识障碍 ,伴呕吐、失语及一侧肢体瘫痪。在 CT和 MRI上 ,脑出血 4 1例 (6 7.2 % ) ,脑梗死 15例(2 4 .6 % ) ,脑萎缩 2例 ,无异常表现 3例。在 DSA和 MRA上 ,双侧病变者 32例 ,单侧病变 2 9例 ,5 1例可见到烟雾状异常血管网 ,尤其在出血型患者中。后交通动脉增粗 38支、眼动脉增粗 31支及软脑膜吻合支增多 4 4侧。 5例大面积脑梗死侧支循环很差或缺乏。结论　成人型烟雾病以脑出血多见 ,在发病率和血管造影上和儿童无明显差异。治疗应首选血管重建手术。 DSA为诊断金标准 ,为术前必要检查 ;MRA无创伤性 ,为本病筛选、诊断、随访的首选方法。     

Moyamoya病的病理、CT与临床研究(附70例报告)

目的研究ｍｏｙａｍｏｙａ病的临床及病理特点。方法分析经脑血管造影（５５例）及剖检（１５例）证实的ｍｏｙａｍｏｙａ病的临床、ＣＴ及病理资料。结果７０例平均年龄２９．２５岁。出血组５５例，平均年龄３３．１３岁，以原发性脑室出血（２１例）、脑叶出血（１３例）及ＳＡＨ（９例）为多，出血原因为异网血管、动脉瘤破裂及梗塞性出血；缺血组１５例，平均年龄１８．４岁，８０％病灶多发，８６．７％为２次以上发病，８０％有两侧症状及体征。结论儿童及青壮年发生脑血管病，血压不高，反复出现脑梗塞或出现脑室出血、脑叶出血或ＳＡＨ等要考虑ｍｏｙａｍｏｙａ病的可能     

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related hemorrhage. Interaction of APOE epsilon2 with putative clinical risk factors.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Current evidence suggests that the apolipoprotein E (APOE for gene; apoE for protein) epsilon4 allele predisposes to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) whereas epsilon2 is associated with CAA-related hemorrhage (CAAH). The clinical risk factors for other forms of intracranial hemorrhage are a less-frequent feature of CAAH. In this study we examined potential clinical risk factors in patients with CAAH and assessed these with respect to APOE genotype. METHODS: Thirty-six patients were identified with a pathological diagnosis of CAAH. Clinical notes were reviewed to document age of hemorrhage onset, history of dementia, antiplatelet/anticoagulant medication, hypertension, minor head trauma, or transient neurological events. In a review of reported cases of CAAH, the frequency of these clinical features was also recorded. APOE genotypes were determined with use of polymerase chain reaction techniques. RESULTS: There were 24 women and 12 men; the mean age was 70.3 years. One third (n=12) had been taking antiplatelet medication, and a similar number were demented. Nine patients were hypertensive, and 4 had a history of recent minor head trauma. The relative frequency of each of these clinical features was similar to that in previous reports. Forty-four percent (16 of 36) possessed an epsilon2 allele. Antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication, hypertension, or minor head trauma were significantly more frequent antecedents of CAAH in epsilon2 carriers than in non-epsilon2 carriers (81% versus 35%, P=0.008), antiplatelet/anticoagulant medication in particular (P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication, hypertension, or minor head trauma are most likely to precipitate cerebral hemorrhage in patients with CAA who are also epsilon2 carriers. This may result from isoform-specific effects of apoE on the structure of amyloid-laden blood vessel walls.     

成人烟雾病的临床特点、分期及代偿机制分析

目的 探讨成人型烟雾病的临床特点、影像学分期及代偿机制.方法 对20例经常规数字减影血管造影（DSA）确诊的成人型烟雾病患者（〉16岁）的临床特点、影像学分期及代偿机制进行回顾性分析.结果 成人烟雾病发病年龄多在40岁左右发病,以脑出血为主,临床主要表现为突发剧烈头痛、意识障碍、失语及一侧肢体瘫痪.CT和MRI显示：脑出血12例（60%）,脑梗死3例（15%）.DSA造影示：双侧大脑中动脉闭塞10例,双侧大脑前动脉闭塞9例,单侧大脑中动脉闭塞11支,单侧大脑前动脉闭塞5支,单侧大脑前动脉狭窄9支,单侧大脑中动脉狭窄6支.在20例患者、40个（侧）大脑半球中,共有39侧大脑半球受损,根据DSA结果将烟雾病分为6期分别为：第Ⅰ期到第Ⅵ期分别为3（7.7%）、9（23.1%）、16（41.0%）、7（18.0%）、3（7.7%）、1（2.5%）侧大脑半球.颅内血管代偿：软脑膜动脉、脉络膜后动脉及胼胝体背动脉代偿增粗25根,眼动脉代偿增粗7根,脑膜中动脉代偿增粗11根.烟雾病合并动脉瘤2例.结论 成人型烟雾病的发病高峰在40岁,以脑出血多见,双侧病变为主,大多数患者在发病时处于第Ⅱ~Ⅳ期（烟雾状血管旺盛期）,大多数患者存在丰富的颅内外血管代偿.     

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

To determine the prognostic value of etiology and localization in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, 896 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, as proven by CT, operation or autopsy, were retrospectively studied using univariate data analysis. Etiologies were hypertension in 63.5%, cerebrovascular malformations in 8.5% and abnormal hemostasis in 15% of the patients. In 23% no etiology was determined. Main localizations were cerebral lobes in 49.2%, basal ganglia in 34.4%, brain stem in 6.9%, cerebellum in 6.7% and primary intraventricular in 2.3% of the patients. Ventricular extension was present in 47.0%. A higher case fatality correlated with: 1) ventricular extension ( P <0.00001), 2) increasing age ( P =0.00005), 3) surgical treatment ( P =0.00010), 4) localization in basal ganglia ( P =0.0108) and 5) hypertension as only etiology ( P =0.01471). A lower case fatality was found in patients with cerebrovascular malformations ( P =0.00006) and when the hemorrhage was localized to the cerebral lobes ( P =0.0050). We conclude that etiology and localization are of prognostic value in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.     

Cerebral blood flow velocity after hyperventilation-induced vasoconstriction in hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography the dynamics of blood flow velocity changes in the middle cerebral artery during and after hypocapnia-induced vasoconstriction in untreated essential hypertensive patients. METHODS: Sixteen hypertensive patients (10 men and six women, 29-62 years of age) and 10 healthy control subjects (six men and four women, 30-62 years of age) were studied. Patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension (mean +/- SE blood pressure, 171/106 +/- 3/2 mm Hg) belonged to stage I or II of the World Health Organization classification. Mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery, arterial blood pressure, and end-tidal CO2 partial pressure were recorded at baseline, during 2-minute hyperventilation, and every 30 seconds up to 5 minutes after hyperventilation. RESULTS: End-tidal CO2 partial pressure values overlapped in the two groups throughout the study. Baseline values of mean blood flow velocity in hypertensive patients were similar to those in normotensive subjects (mean +/- SE values, 64.7 +/- 3.9 cm/sec versus 58.6 +/- 3.7 cm/sec). A similar fall in mean blood flow velocity was observed in hypertensive patients and normotensive subjects (43.2 +/- 2.8% versus 46.7 +/- 3.6%). Mean blood flow velocity reverted to baseline more quickly in hypertensive patients: 1.5 minutes after hyperventilation, mean blood flow velocity was 60.7 +/- 3.1% and 84.9 +/- 1.8% of control in normotensive subjects and hypertensive patients, respectively. No changes in arterial blood pressure were observed in either group throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the recovery of blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery after hyperventilation is faster in hypertensive patients than in normal subjects, thus providing further evidence that chronic hypertension is associated with changes in the dynamics of cerebral blood vessel reactivity.     

出血型烟雾病患者72例的损伤模式

目的 探讨成年人出血型烟雾病(moyamoya disease,MMD)病灶分布模式.方法 从南京脑卒中注册系统中提取2004年1月至2010年2月间以出血事件为首发症状的成年人MMD住院患者72例.按出血原发部位的不同将患者分为4组:非丘脑性脑实质出血(脑叶和纹状体出血)、丘脑出血、原发脑室出血和自发蛛网膜下腔出血(subarachnoid hemorrhage,SAH).所有患者均行脑血管造影检查,根据造影结果 ,按改良的Morioka分级标准将出血侧脉络膜前动脉和后交通动脉(anterior choroidal artery and posterior communicating artery,AChA-PComA)分为3级:"正常或轻度扩张"、"极度扩张和延长"及"未显影".分析出血病灶分布模式与AChA-PComA分级的关系.结果 在AChA-PComA正常或轻度扩张阶段,非丘脑性脑实质出血的比例最大(51.6%,16/31;Z=-3.266,P=0.001),且以纹状体出血最为常见(22.6%,7/31);在AChA-PComA极度扩张和延长阶段,脑室出血所占比例最大(58.8%,20/34;Z=-2.696,P=0.008);另外,后循环SAH同侧的AChA-PComA级别较前循环的高(Z=-4.655,P＜0.01);在AChA-PComA近端未显影阶段,后循环动脉瘤破裂相关的SAH是此阶段惟一的出血亚型(9.7%,7/72;x2=42.999,P＜0.01).结论 成年人出血型MMD脑卒中不同亚型与AChA-PComA形态有关,其造影显像特点可预测出血部位.

Abstract：

Objective To study the lesion patterns of hemorrhagic type of moyamoya disease (MMD) in adults. Methods Seventy-two consecutive cases of hemorrhagic type of MMD, confirmed by digital cerebral angiography in Jinling hospital between January 2004 and February 2010, were retrieved from the Nanjing Stroke Registry Program. MMD patients were classified according to the hemorrhagic sites into 4 types: non-thalamic parenchymal, thalamic, primary ventricular and subarachnoid. The ipsilateral anterior choroidal artery and posterior communicating artery (AChA-PComA) were evaluated by the modified Morioka's 3-points grading system: normal or mild to moderate dilation, severe dilation with abnormal extension and non-visualization. The relationship between lesion patterns and the angiographic findings was analyzed. Results In the stage of normal or mild to moderate dilation of AChA-PComA, non-thalamic parenchymal hemorrhage was the more frequent type (51.6%, 16/31 ;Z = -3.266,P =0.001 ), and there was a high incidence of intrastriatal hemorrhage occurred (22.6%, 7/31 ). In the stage of severe dilation with abnormal extension, intraventricular hemorrhage was most common ( 58.8%, 20/34 ;Z = -2.696 ,P =0.008). In addition, posterior circulation subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) was associated with a higher grade of AChA-PComA than anterior circulation SAH (Z = -4.655 ,P ＜ 0.01 ). Furthermore, posterior circulation SAH was the only type of SAH in the stage of non-visualization(9.7% ,7/72; x2 =42.999,P ＜0.01 ). Conclusion In adult patients with MMD, different subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke were associated with angiographic changes of AChA-PComA, and the angiographic characteristics may predict the location of hemorrhage.     

Vascular imaging adds value in investigation of basal ganglia hemorrhage

The risk of basal ganglia hemorrhage (BGH) increases in patients of older age and with hypertension. Current guidelines do not recommend routine vascular imaging. However, a proportion of patients with BGH have underlying vascular abnormalities, and these patients may require a different treatment approach. We aimed to assess the proportion of underlying vascular abnormalities in patients with BGH. In this retrospective study, we included all patients who presented with BGH between January 2007 and December 2009 at a single institution. The following data were collected: patient demographics, vascular risk factors, medications, volume of hematoma, CT scans, CT angiogram, magnetic resonance angiography and digital subtraction angiography. We determined the proportion of underlying vascular abnormalities and correlated these findings with risk factors for BGH. A total of 113 consecutive patients with BGH were identified, and vascular imaging was performed in 61. The median age was 62 years and 48 (78.7%) of these patients were male. Forty-two (68.9%) of 61 patients had hypertension. Positive vascular imaging findings were identified in eight of 61 patients (13.1%): three intracranial aneurysms, three cavernous malformations, one Moyamoya disease and one arteriovenous malformation. There were no significant associations between demographic features, vascular risk factors and the hematoma volume between patients with positive and negative vascular imaging. Specifically, an underlying vascular abnormality was not associated with age (≥ 60 years, 6/36 patients had an underlying vascular abnormality, compared with 2/25 patients< 60 years; p=not significant [n.s.]). There was no relationship with hypertension (5/42 hypertensive patients and 3/19 normotensive patients (n.s.) had an underlying vascular abnormality). We concluded that there is a significant proportion of relevant underlying vascular abnormalities in patients with BGH. This likelihood is not predicted by risk factors such as hypertension and age. These findings indicate the importance of vascular imaging in patients with BGH who are not neurologically devastated.     

121例自发性颅内出血的病因和治疗方法探讨

目的:研究自发性颅内出血的病因诊断,并探讨其治疗方法。方法:病例经计算机体层摄影(CT)、磁共振成像(MRI)和腰穿等检查明确诊断及病因。74洲经手术治疗,21例经血管内治疗.9咧经伽玛刀(γ—刀)治疗,17例保守治疗。结果:121例自发性颅内出血中,动脉瘤46例,瞄血管畸形45例,动脉瘤合并血管畸形2例,颅内肿瘤卒中5例,烟雾病2例,21鲕J原因不明。结论:脑动脉瘤和血管畸形是自发性颅内出血最常见的病因(占74.4％),CT和MRI对出血的病因提供诊断线索,脑血管造影能明确病因诊断,根据病因不同、病变大小和部位不同选择合适的治疗方法,大型脑动静脉畸形(AVM)主张联合治疗。     

应用Toth水解剖技术显微手术治疗高血压壳核出血

目的 探讨高血压壳核出血的手术治疗方法和效果.方法 对经侧裂-岛叶入路应用Toth水解剖技术显微手术治疗的50例高血压壳核出血患者的临床资料进行回顾性总结分析.结果 术后第1天复查头颅CT示:血肿清除大于90%者41例,其余9例血肿清除小于80%.术后存活41例,死亡9例.存活的41例中,术后6个月根据GOS评分:恢复良好9例,中残13例,重残15例,植物生存2例,死亡2例.结论 经侧裂-岛叶入路应用Toth水解剖技术显微手术治疗高血压壳核出血对脑组织损伤小,血肿清除彻底、神经功能恢复好.     

高血压脑出血合并上消化道出血临床分析

目的 探讨高血压脑出血的出血部位、出血量与消化道出血发生率及预后的关系.方法 对96例脑出血患者的临床表现、出血部位、出血量、血糖、治疗方法 进行分析.结果 上消化道出血发生率分别为壳核出血组36.46%, 丘脑出血组32.29%,脑干出血组13.54%,脑叶出血组17.71%.高血压脑出血合并上消化道出血组病死率为43.75%.结论 脑出血合并上消化道出血常见丘脑、脑干等部位病变,且出血量大者发生率高,脑出血并上消化道出血提示预后不良,病死率高.     

CT监视下颅脑穿刺术治疗高血压脑出血术后再出血的危险因素分析

目的探讨CT监视下颅脑穿刺术治疗高血压脑出血术后再出血的危险因素。方法选择2010-09—2014-10我院接诊的500例高血压脑出血患者进行研究。根据是否发生再出血将其分为观察组和对照组。观察组48例,对照组452例。采用Logistic回归分析统计CT监视下颅脑穿刺术治疗高血压脑出血术后再出血的独立危险因素。结果 Logistic回归方程的分析结果显示,手术时机、术后血压、首次抽吸量、肝脏疾病是CT监视下颅脑穿刺术治疗高血压脑出血术后再出血的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论 CT监视下颅脑穿刺术治疗高血压脑出血患者,重视手术时机、术后血压、首次抽吸量、肝脏疾病有利于再出血的识别与治疗。     

Evolution of cerebral arteriopathies in childhood arterial ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE: To investigate evolution of cerebral arteriopathy in children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) and its influence on recurrence. METHODS: Arteriopathy severity was graded on serial magnetic resonance angiograms from 50 children with first AIS; diagnostic categories were assigned. RESULTS: Arteriopathy affected 72 arteries in 43 of 50 children. Five had clinical recurrence, with reinfarction in four; another had clinically silent reinfarction. Twelve children (24%; 4 with recurrence) had progressive arteriopathy. Arteriopathy improved in 24 patients (including 1 with recurrent transient ischemic attacks) and was stable in 7 patients. Magnetic resonance angiograms remained normal in seven patients; one had recurrent stroke. Diagnoses were transient cerebral arteriopathy (n = 24), chronic cerebral arteriopathy (n = 11), arterial dissection (n = 3), possible moyamoya (n = 2), primary moyamoya (n = 1), dysplastic arteriopathy (n = 1), and cerebral vasculitis (n = 1). Some of the first two categories could represent thromboembolic arterial occlusion with recanalization. The hazard of recurrence was three times higher when arterial disease had progressed (Cox regression hazard ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence intervals, 0.5-20.3; p = 0.22). After adjustment for age and number of AIS risk factors, the hazard ratio was 3.1 (95% confidence interval, 0.4-22.2; p = 0.27). INTERPRETATION: Arteriopathy frequently progresses after childhood AIS. Further studies are needed to examine the relationship between progressive arteriopathy and recurrence.     

肝硬化并发脑出血与高血压脑出血的对比研究

【摘要】 目的   探讨肝硬化并发脑出血与高血压脑出血临床特点的区别。 方法  比较首都医科大学附属北京地坛医院收治的36例肝硬化并发脑出血患者与同期我院收治的52例高血压脑出血患者出血量、出血部位及临床特点。 结果  本研究中肝硬化并发脑出血平均出血量低于高血压脑出血平均出血量（P=0.038）。两组患者脑出血部位有显著差异（P<0.001）,肝硬化并发脑出血出血部位以脑叶（44.44%）为主,而高血压脑出血多位于基底节区（80.77%）。肝硬化脑出血多部位出血者占16.67%,而本组高血压脑出血中无多部位出血,两组有显著差异（P<0.001）。 结论  与高血压脑出血相比,肝硬化并发脑出血出血量较少,部位以脑叶多见,且亦多发。        

自发性凸面蛛网膜下腔出血的临床和影像学特点

目的   总结并探讨自发性大脑凸面蛛网膜下腔出血（convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage,cSAH）临床特点、影像学表现及其可能的发病机制。 方法  回顾自2001年12月～2013年1月在首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院神经病学中心住院和急诊就诊的cSAH病例,分析其人口学特征、临床表现、血管影像,探讨其危险因素及可能的病因。 结果  共纳入54例cSAH患者,其中男性34例,女性20例,中位数年龄58.5（48.8,70.8）岁。患者中脑血管病危险因素患病率：脂代谢紊乱23例（42.6%）,高血压21例（38.9%）,糖尿病11例（20.4%）,吸烟8例（14.8%）。37例患者住院,住院患者症状发生频率：头痛14例（37.8%）、肢体无力13例（35.1%）、麻木8例（21.6%）、构音障碍8例（21.6%）;症状呈发作性（n=16,43.2%）或持续性（n=23,56.8%）。计算机断层扫描（computed tomography,CT）显示cSAH多位于中央沟附近。39例接受血管造影检查,最常见的血管异常是病灶同侧颈内动脉/大脑中动脉狭窄或闭塞（23例,59.0%）,病灶范围内均未发现动脉瘤。50岁以上的cSAH患者30例（76.9%）明显多于50岁及以下的患者9例（23.1%）。并且50岁以上的30例患者中,脑动脉狭窄或闭塞在各种病因中所占比例最高（66.7%）;50岁及以下的9例患者中,脑动脉狭窄或闭塞少见（33.3%）。就cSAH患者中脑动脉狭窄或闭塞者的数量和所占比例来说,男性（18例,69.2%）多于女性（5例,38.5%）。 结论  脑动脉狭窄或闭塞可能是cSAH的重要原因。     

Small chronic hemorrhages and ischemic lesions in association with spontaneous intracerebral hematomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It has been speculated that the same type of hypertensive small-artery disease can cause either intracerebral hemorrhages or ischemic lesions, depending on the circumstances. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, we examined the association between spontaneous intracerebral hematomas and both small chronic hemorrhages and ischemic lesions using echo planar and T2-weighted MRI. We considered a hypointense area to represent a hemorrhage and a hyperintense area to represent an ischemic lesion. RESULTS: We identified small hypointense lesions in 56.7% of 30 patients with intracerebral hematomas (mean age, 62.2 years; total number of lesions, 108) and in 25.4% of 59 patients without hematomas (mean age, 67.6 years; total lesions, 28). The incidence of hypertension was 88.3% in patients with intracerebral hematomas and 42.3% in those without. The hypointense lesions were found in 56.0% of 50 patients with hypertension, whereas they were found only in 10.3% of 39 patients without hypertension. The hypointense lesions were most common in the subcortex, followed by the putamen, pons, thalamus, and cerebellum. The hyperintense lesions were of a higher grade in patients with intracerebral hematomas than in those without. The hypointense lesions were commonly surrounded by hyperintense areas. Additionally, in 3 of 3 autopsied brains, we found hemosiderin deposits around arteriosclerotic microvessels and a surrounding small infarction in areas that had appeared as small hypointense lesions surrounded by hyperintensity on MRI. One specimen also had an organized miliary pseudoaneurysm. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that spontaneous intracerebral hematomas are frequently associated with small chronic hemorrhages, ischemic lesions, and hypertension. We speculate that hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage may have the same microangiopathic basis as cerebral infarction.     

Cerebral infarction due to moyamoya disease in young adults

Moyamoya disease was diagnosed as the cause of cerebral infarction in eight young adults (seven women, one man), aged 17-40 (mean 33) years. All had angiographic abnormalities characteristic of moyamoya disease. Single-photon emission tomography showed bilateral carotid circulation hypoperfusion and posterior circulation hyperemia in all seven patients with regional cerebral blood flow studies. All seven women had used oral contraceptives before cerebral infarction. Four patients were treated medically; one died of a second cerebral infarction 9 months after diagnosis. Four patients underwent superficial temporal-to-middle cerebral artery anastomosis; they did well. Moyamoya disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of cerebral infarction as well as intracranial hemorrhage in young adults, particularly women. A possible relation between moyamoya disease and oral contraceptive use deserves investigation.