Hemorrhage
Hemorrhage means active or recent bleeding, either inside the body or into tissues or organs.
When to get help quickly: Hemorrhage can be a medical emergency, especially if there is collapse, major pain, fast swelling, vomiting blood, black stool, or sudden weakness or confusion.
Common symptoms
Symptoms depend on where the bleeding is but may include pain, swelling, dizziness, weakness, vomiting blood, black stool, coughing blood, or sudden neurological symptoms.
When imaging helps
Imaging helps locate where the bleeding is coming from, estimate how much blood is present, and guide urgent procedures or surgery if needed.
What radiology does
CT, ultrasound, MRI, or angiography may be used depending on the site and urgency to show where the bleeding is and how much there is.
What usually happens next
Management can range from observation to transfusion, embolization, surgery, or emergency stabilization depending on severity and cause.
Seen this on your report?
Your doctor or the radiologist who wrote it can tell you what it means for you.
Related scan guides
- Trauma and Hemorrhage EmbolizationWhen severe physical trauma causes internal organs to rupture and bleed, trauma embolization is an emergency procedure used to plug the bleeding vessels from the inside — often saving both the patient's life and their injured organs.
- CT Brain AngiographyA CT Brain Angiography (CTA Brain) creates detailed maps of the blood vessels inside your head. It uses X-rays and computer processing to capture clear, 3D images of your cerebral circulation.
- Neonatal Cranial UltrasoundA neonatal cranial ultrasound is a safe, radiation-free scan used to examine the brain of newborn babies. It is performed by scanning through the baby's soft spot (fontanelle) to check for bleeding or developmental issues.