Chronic hypertensive encephalopathy

Case contributed by Henry Knipe
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Vertigo, right sided cerebellar signs ?intracranial haemorrhage.

Patient Data

Age: 70
Gender: Female
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Info

Parenchymal haemorrhage centred in the posterior limb of the left internal capsule / lateral margin of the thalamus. 

This study is a stack
Sagittal
T1
This study is a stack
Axial
FLAIR
This study is a stack
Axial
T2
This study is a stack
Axial
SWI
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Info

Heterogeneous T1 and T2 signal in the left internal capsule is in keeping with the previously demonstrated haematoma, which is resolving. Confluent periventricular and deep white matter high T2/FLAIR signal. Generalised cerebral atrophy with mild ventriculomegaly. Foci of susceptibility artefact predominantly centred on the basal ganglia with a few in the pons/cerebellum. There are a few supratentorial subcortical foci of susceptibility artefact but these are less prominent.

Case Discussion

This patient had a long history of chronic hypertension, and along with the pattern of microhaemorrhages this represents chronic hypertensive encephalopathy. 

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