Estimate age of hemorrhage - MRI

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Stage Biochemistry Location Property T1W T2W Mnemonic
Hyperacute (hrs) oxy-Hb intracellular Dimagnetic isointense bright IB
Acute (1-2 days) deoxy-Hb intracellular paramagnetic isointense dark ID
Early subacute (2-7 days) Met-Hb intracellular paramagnetic bright dark BD
Late subacute (1-4 wks) Met-Hb extracellular paramagnetic bright bright BaBy
Chronic Hemosiderin extracellular ferromagnetic dark dark rim DooDoo


  • Appearance of intracranial hemorrhage on MR depends on the age of the hematoma and the sequence (Tl or T2 weighted).
  • As hematoma ages, hemoglobin passes through different forms (oxyhemoglobin à deoxyhemoglobin à methemoglobin) prior to red cell lysis and breakdown into hemosiderin.
Mnemonic Stage T1 T2
It Be Hyperacute isointense (I) hyperintense (B)
IdDy Acute iso to hypointense (I) hypointense (D)
BiDdy Early Subacute hyperintense (B) hypointense (D)
BaBy Late Subacute hyperintense (B) hyperintense (B)
Doo Doo Chronic hypointense (D) hypointense (D)