Introduction:

brain metastases constitute a unique and differentiated manifestation in disseminated cancer. In Cuba, its increase among the main causes of death constitutes a health problem.

Objective:

to characterize the clinical, epidemiological and imaging features of patients with brain metastases admitted to "Arnaldo Milián Castro" Clinical and Surgical University Hospital from Santa Clara during 2012-2016.

Methods:

a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, with an intentional sampling of 50 patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of brain metastasis in the period 2012-2016.

Results:

the most affected age group by brain metastasis was between 60 and 69 years old, with a predominance of males. The most common primary tumor was lung carcinoma, and small‐cell adenocarcinoma predominated among them. Multiple metastatic lesions predominated over single ones in computed axial tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Conclusions:

we concluded that the characterized brain metastases were frequently originated from lung tumors in male patients older than 60 years.