Abstract
Changes in X-ray density corresponding to intracranial hemorrhagic lesions were followed in fourteen patients. In addition, X-ray density of solutions with oxyhemoglobin, CO-hemoglobin and methehemoglobin as well as suspension of blood corpuscles, hemolysate, calcium, sodium, iron, copper, magnesium and phosphate was measured.
The following results were obtained:
1) The average X-ray density of hemorrhagic lesions within 48 hours after intracranial hemorrhage was 73.80 H.N.: 55.81 H.N. between 48 hours and three weeks:49.5 H.N. between three and four weeks:26.81 H.N. over four weeks. In all cases, the intracranial hemorrhage in its acute stage revealed a high X-ray density as compared to the surrounding cerebral tissue. This was helpful for the detection of hemorrhagic lesions.
2) X-ray density of the lesion decreased 1.68 H.N./day after the hemorrhage.
3) Among various constituents of blood, the solution of sodium showed the highest X-ray density, followed by hemoglobin, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, copper and iron.
4) However, when the concentration of each blood constituent was taken into consideration, hemoglobin showed the highest X-ray density, followed by calcium, copper, sodium, magnesium, phosphate and iron.
5) There was no significant difference in X-ray density between the suspension of blood corpuscles and hemolysate. The findings were the same whether hemoglobin was oxyhemoglobin, CO-hemoglobin or methehemoglobin.
6) Oxyhemoglobin showed the highest X-ray density, followed by CO-hemoglobin and methehemoglobin.
These findings suggested that hemoglobin in the intracranial hemorrhagic lesion seems to be a major factor producing a high X-ray density particularly in its acute stage.
