Clinical neuroimaging in intracerebral haemorrhage related to cerebral small vessel disease: contemporary practice and emerging concepts

Abstract

Introduction: About 80% of all non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are caused by the sporadic cerebral small vessel diseases deep perforator arteriopathy (DPA, also termed hypertensive arteriopathy or arteriolosclerosis) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), though these frequently co-exist in older people. Contemporary neuroimaging (MRI and CT) detects an increasing spectrum of hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic imaging biomarkers of small vessel disease which may identify the underlying arteriopathies.

Areas covered: We discuss biomarkers for cerebral small vessel disease subtypes in ICH, and explore their implications for clinical practice and research.

Expert opinion: ICH is not a single disease, but results from a defined range of vascular pathologies with important implications for prognosis and treatment. The terms 'primary' and 'hypertensive' ICH are poorly defined and should be avoided, as they encourage incomplete investigation and classification. Imaging-based criteria for CAA will show improved diagnostic accuracy, but specific imaging biomarkers of DPA are needed. Ultra-high-field 7 T-MRI using structural and quantitative MRI may provide further insights into mechanisms and pathophysiology of small vessel disease. We expect neuroimaging biomarkers and classifications to allow personalized treatments (e.g. antithrombotic drugs) in clinical practice and to improve patient selection and monitoring in trials of targeted therapies directed at the underlying arteriopathies.

Keywords: CT; Intracerebral hemorrhage; MRI; amyloid-related inflammation; cerebral amyloid angiopathy; deep perforator arteriopathy; emerging strategies; hereditary small vessel disease; neuroimaging; small vessel diseases.