Peggy Nguyen, MD

Delcourt C, Zhang S, Arima H, Sato S, Al-Shahi Salman R, Wang X, et al. Significance of Hematoma Shape and Density in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: The Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage Trial Study. Stroke. 2016

In patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), parameters such as hematoma volume has been shown to be predictive of hematoma growth and poor clinical outcomes; other characteristics, such as shape and density have been shown to be associated with growth, but evidence demonstrating its predictive value for clinical outcomes has been limited. Here, the authors used data from the INTERACT2 study and evaluated the association of hematoma shape (irregularity) and density (heterogeneity) on 90-day death or disability.

2066 subjects were included for analysis, with 946 subjects having irregular hematomas and 781 subjects having heterogenous hematomas. Of note, there were significant differences between patients with irregular versus regular hematomas, including older age, more severe neurological status, and lobar hemorrhages in the former group, among others. Similarly, patients with heterogenous hematomas, compared to those with homogenous hematomas, were more likely to have lobar hematomas and less likely to have intraventricular extension. Larger hematomas were more likely to be irregular and heterogenous, and this is likely reflected in the differences between each group and their comparators. In addition, the decision to withdraw treatment was more likely to be made among patients with irregular hematomas and among patients with heterogenous hematomas, when compared to their counterparts.


Nevertheless, when controlled for factors such as age, systolic blood pressure, NIHSS, prior use of antithrombotics, location and volume of baseline hematoma, IVH, and decision to withdraw active treatment, irregular hematomas were found to be independently associated with the primary outcome of risk of death or major disability at 90-days (OR 1.60) and major disability at 90 days (OR 1.60) although not with death alone. Heterogenous density did not predict the primary outcome, nor individually, the outcome of death nor disability.

This study is significant in providing some evidence for imaging markers which may be predictive of clinical outcomes in the emergent period, allowing clinicians to adjust decision making and provide better informed counseling to patients and their families.