Introduction: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICrH) is an umbrella term that encompasses any bleeding within the skull. The underlying mechanisms, clinical presentations, and management strategies of ICrH vary considerably based on the anatomical location of the blood. However, the current terminology surrounding ICrH is often ambiguous and inadequate for conveying the precise anatomical origins and extent of the bleeding, contributing to confusion and inconsistency in both clinical practice and research. Methods: To address these challenges, we identify six key shortcomings in current usage and propose a harmonized terminology for anatomical classification. Results: We propose the following clarifications: (i) intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) refers to any bleeding within the parenchyma of the brain or the brainstem; (ii) isolated intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) denotes bleeding within the ventricles, not secondary to intraparenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage; (iii) intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) includes both IPH and IVH; (iv) ICrH encompasses all bleeding within the skull (i.e., intraparenchymal, intraventricular, subarachnoid, subdural and epidural hemorrhages); (v) precise anatomical terminology should be favored over the ambiguous term “hemorrhagic stroke”; and (vi) the term “hemorrhage” indicates an active bleeding process, whereas “hematoma” describes the resulting mass or collection of blood. Conclusion: We invite stroke physicians and researchers to use this harmonized terminology to standardize and facilitate communication, as well as the interpretation and translation of research findings.
Peres et al. (Mon,) studied this question.