INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE

An intracranial hemorrhage is a hemorrhage, or bleeding, within the skull. Intracranial bleeding occurs when a blood vessel in the head is ruptured or leaks. It can result from physical trauma (as occurs in head injury) or nontraumatic causes (as occurs in hemorrhagic stroke) such as a ruptured aneurysm. Intracranial hemorrhage is a serious medical emergency because the buildup of blood within the skull can lead to increases in intracranial pressure, which can crush delicate brain tissue or limit its blood supply. CAT scan (computed axial tomography) is the definitive tool for accurate diagnosis of an intracranial hemorrhage.