Clinicoradiological features of cerebral microbleeds diagnosed on magnetic resonance neuroimaging.

Objectives: Cerebral microbleeds (MBs) are recently described entity on magnetic resonance (MR) neuroimaging and are considered one of the markers of small vessel disease. We aimed to study the clinicoradiological features of cerebral MBs that were diagnosed in MR neuroimaging. Materials and Methods: We studied 109 South Indian patients, who presented to a tertiary care institution for MR neuroimaging with cerebral MBs as diagnosed on MR neuroimaging based on either the gradient T2* imaging or susceptibility-weighted imaging. The clinical details and coexisting MR features of infarcts, macrohemorrhages, lacunar infarcts, and white matter leukoaraiosis were evaluated and analyzed. Results: Of 109 patients, 79 were males and 30 were females. Associated clinical comorbidities noted include hypertension (62.39%), diabetes (23.85%), and alcoholism (31.19%) apart from the history of anti-platelet/anti-coagulant usage (15.5%), previous cardiac disease (12.84%), and previous stroke/transient ischemic attacks (9.17%). Other co-existing neuroimaging abnormalities noted include cortical infarcts (27.52%), old hemorrhages (29.36%), lacunar infarcts (56.88%), and white matter leukaraiosis (67.89%). Conclusion: The clinicoradiological features of cerebral MBs in South Indian patients are similar to other Asian and Western studies with significant coexistence of clinical comorbidities and imaging features of small vessel changes. Further studies with a larger sample are needed to correlate the grade of MBs to the individual risk of these clinicoradiological characteristics.

Spectrum of intracranial and spinal epidermoids including unusual locations and imaging findings: A pictorial review.

Intracranial and spinal epidermoids are benign slow-growing congenital lesions. They are predominantly intradural, extra-axial in location, with intra-axial locations (intra-parenchymal and spinal intramedullary) being rare. The most common locations of intradural epidermoids are cerebellopontine angle cistern followed by supra- and para-sellar regions, and fourth ventricle. Less common locations include inter-hemispheric fissure, sylvian fissure, lateral ventricle, intracerebral, velum interpositum cistern, superior cerebellar cistern and pineal gland. They can also be extradural, usually arising in the diploic space of the calvaria, though they are less common. Magnetic resonance imaging is the primary modality for diagnosis and knowing the extent of the lesion. In this pictorial review, we intend to illustrate their classical and unusual locations, atypical imaging findings including calcifications, rare complications like haemorrhage or spontaneous rupture.