Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping of Intracerebral Hemorrhages at Various Stages

Purpose To investigate the magnetic susceptibility of intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) at various stages by applying quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). Materials and Methods Blood susceptibility was measured serially using QSM after venous blood withdrawal from healthy subjects. Forty‐two patients who provided written consent were recruited in this Institutional Review Board‐approved study. Gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of the 42 patients (17 females; 64 ± 12 years) with ICH were processed with QSM. The susceptibilities of various blood products within hematomas were measured on QSM. Results Blood susceptibility continually increased and reached a plateau 96 hours after venous blood withdrawal. Hematomas at all stages were consistently hyperintense on QSM. Susceptibility was 0.57 ± 0.48, 1.30 ± 0.33, 1.14 ± 0.46, 0.40 ± 0.13, and 0.71 ± 0.31 ppm for hyperacute, acute, early subacute, late subacute, and chronic stages of hematomas, respectively. The susceptibility decrease from early subacute (1.14 ppm) to late subacute (0.4 ppm) was significant (P