Knowra Intracranial hemorrhage Intracranial hemorrhage Intracranial hemorrhage is bleeding within the skull, either inside brain tissue or in the spaces surrounding it. Its effects depend on the bleed’s location, cause, and size.
Intracerebral hemorrhage : Bleeding directly into brain tissue, often caused by small-vessel disease or trauma. This is the main form that occurs within brain tissue itself.
Intracranial pressure : The pressure exerted by the contents of the skull, including brain tissue, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid. An expanding hemorrhage can raise this pressure and reduce blood flow to the brain.
Non-contrast head CT : A computed tomography scan performed without intravenous contrast, commonly used to detect acute blood in the skull. It is the usual first imaging test for suspected acute hemorrhage.
Cerebral aneurysm : A focal weakening and outward bulging of a cerebral artery wall. Rupture is a major cause of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Ischemic stroke : Brain injury caused by inadequate blood supply, usually because an artery is blocked. Unlike hemorrhage, ischemic stroke begins with blocked rather than ruptured vessels.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage : Bleeding into the fluid-filled space between the brain and its surrounding membranes. This form occupies a space around the brain rather than its tissue.
Cerebral perfusion pressure : The pressure gradient that drives blood flow through the brain, approximated by mean arterial pressure minus intracranial pressure. Rising intracranial pressure can lower this gradient and threaten brain perfusion.
Magnetic resonance imaging : An imaging method that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the body. MRI can clarify the age, extent, or cause of hemorrhage when CT is insufficient.
Arteriovenous malformation : An abnormal tangle of arteries and veins connected without a normal capillary bed. Its fragile vessels can rupture and cause intracranial bleeding, especially in younger people.
Transient ischemic attack : A brief episode of neurological dysfunction caused by focal ischemia without acute infarction. Transient ischemia can mimic early stroke symptoms but does not involve cranial bleeding.
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