SEQUENTIAL CHANGE OF BRAIN EDEMA BY SEMIQUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT ON MRI IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSIVE INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE

The progression of brain edema in seven patients with hypertensive int racerebral hemorrhage (ICH) was evaluated. Five were of putaminal and two were of thalamic hemorrhage.The hematoma volume in the patients wa s 4 approximately 40 ml (18.9 +/- 8.0 ml). Sequential MRI (SE: 2000/40 ) was performed at one, two and four weeks after onset. The edema volu me (EV) was calculated as 1/2 . (long diameter) . (short diameter) . ( thickness) of the high intensity area (HIA) on MRI. In comparison with the EV at one week after onset, the EV at two weeks was increased and the EV at four weeks returned to the same level of that atone week (1 32.3 +/- 26.1%, 100 +/- 10.6%, respectively). In contrast, the conscio usness level and motor weakness of the patients had already improved a t two weeks after onset. Our results demonstrate that progression of b rain edema after small or medium size ICH may not bring about a deteri oration of the clinical course. Moreover, progression of brain edema t o the cerebral cortex and ventricle as indicated by MRI suggested an a bsorption pathway for the edema fluid, and implying that brain edema f ollowing ICH could play a part in the healing process after ICH.