[Cerebral microbleeds]

Abstract

Microbleedscorrespond to small areas of hypointense signals on MRI T2 sequences of the brain. Their presence is correlated with age and hypertension. They are frequently associated with lacunae and with hyperintense (bright) signals in white matter. Microbleeds are associated with local deposits of blood decay products and are a marker of cerebral microangiopathy, most often lipohyalinosis. They are frequently observed in ischemic neurovascular disease, especially lacunar and hemorrhagic. They may thus have prognostic value. Microbleeds are often present in dementia, especially vascular dementia. The therapeutic consequences of the discovery of microbleeds remain very uncertain, especially in terms of the use of antithrombotic agents.