Hypertensive microangiopathy

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Hypertensive microangiopathy, also referred to as chronic hypertensive encephalopathy (not to be confused with acute hypertensive encephalopathy, better known as PRES) results ~~for~~from the sustained effects of elevated systemic blood pressure on the brain.

Radiographic features

MRI

The key finding of hypertensive microangiopathy is the presence of microhemorrhages affecting the basal ganglia, pons and cerebellar hemispheres ¹. This is, not surprisingly, the same distribution as macroscopic hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhages.

These are best seen on T2* sequences, particularly susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) as small blooming areas of signal loss ¹.

Differential diagnosis

There are a number of conditions to be considered:

microhaemorrhages secondary to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)
- peripherally distributed, in the same distribution as lobar haemorrhages
multiple cavernous malformations as seen in familial multiple cavernous malformation syndrome
- randomly distributed
- some are larger
neurocysticercosis
- calcified
calcified/treated metastases
- usually larger
- more peripheral

-<p><strong>Hypertensive microangiopathy</strong>, also referred to as <strong>chronic hypertensive encephalopathy</strong> (not to be confused with <a href="/articles/acute-hypertensive-encephalopathy">acute hypertensive encephalopathy</a>, better known as PRES) results for the sustained effects of elevated systemic blood pressure on the brain. </p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>MRI</h5><p>The key finding of hypertensive microangiopathy is the presence of microhemorrhages affecting the <a href="/articles/basal-ganglia">basal ganglia</a>, <a href="/articles/pons">pons</a> and <a href="/articles/cerebellum-anatomy">cerebellar hemispheres</a> <sup>1</sup>. This is, not surprisingly, the same distribution as macroscopic <a href="/articles/hypertensive-intracerebral-haemorrhage">hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhages</a>.</p><p>These are best seen on T2* sequences, particularly <a href="/articles/susceptibility-weighted-imaging-1">susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI)</a> as small blooming areas of signal loss <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>There are a number of conditions to be considered:</p><ul>
+<p><strong>Hypertensive microangiopathy</strong>, also referred to as <strong>chronic hypertensive encephalopathy</strong> (not to be confused with <a href="/articles/acute-hypertensive-encephalopathy">acute hypertensive encephalopathy</a>, better known as PRES) results from the sustained effects of elevated systemic blood pressure on the brain. </p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>MRI</h5><p>The key finding of hypertensive microangiopathy is the presence of microhemorrhages affecting the <a href="/articles/basal-ganglia">basal ganglia</a>, <a href="/articles/pons">pons</a> and <a href="/articles/cerebellum-anatomy">cerebellar hemispheres</a> <sup>1</sup>. This is, not surprisingly, the same distribution as macroscopic <a href="/articles/hypertensive-intracerebral-haemorrhage">hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhages</a>.</p><p>These are best seen on T2* sequences, particularly <a href="/articles/susceptibility-weighted-imaging-1">susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI)</a> as small blooming areas of signal loss <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>There are a number of conditions to be considered:</p><ul>

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Hypertensive microangiopathy

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Radiographic features

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