Preliminary study of susceptibility weighted imaging in venous hemorrhagic cerebral infarction on 3.0T magnetic resonance

Objective: To explore the value of susceptibility weighted imaging(SWI) in the diagnosis of cerebral venous/ve- nous sinus thrombosis combined with venous hemorrhagic cerebral infarction(CVST-VHCI). Methods: The imaging data of the 18 patients with CVST-VHCI proved by DSA or pathology were studied retrospectively on GE 3.0T MR system, and were compared with those of 12 patients with simple cerebral hemorrhage and 8 patients with brain tumor which located in nearly the same region. Result: In the 18 patients with CVST-VHCI, SWI showed patches of hypo-signal intensity in parietal cortex or parietal subcortex. There were wide spread or earthworm-like mesh cortex veins or pulp veins around the cortex or parietal subcortex. In the 12 patients with simple cerebral hemorrhage, SWI revealed lesions of low signal intensity. The cortex veins were normal or reduced slightly. In the 8 patients with brain tumor, SWI expressed clumping mixed-signal and linear hypo- signal small veins and patchy hypo-signal hemorrhage inside the tumor. Conclusion: For the hemorrhagic disease in parietal cortex or parietal subcortex, SWI can reveal the specific feature by showing expanded cortex vein or medullary vein to im- prove the diagnosis of CVST-VHCI. So SWI is an important supplement of cMRI and MRV.