What are the most common locations for hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhages, and what are their respective prevalence rates?

Hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhages most commonly occur in the putamen (35% to 50%), followed by subcortical white matter (30%), cerebellum (15%), thalamus (10% to 15%), and pons (5% to 10%). Key diagnostic features include sudden onset of focal neurological deficits and headache. Clinically, these hemorrhages can mimic ischemic strokes, but CT imaging typically reveals hyperdense regions. A common pitfall is misinterpreting small hemorrhages in the thalamus or pons as ischemic lesions, especially in the acute setting.