Objective To investigate the value of different MRI scan patterns in the diagnosis of acute cerebral infarction with cerebral microbleeds. Methods A total of 60 patients with acute cerebral infarction treated in the hospital from January 2016 to January 2018 were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent conventional MRI, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and magnetic susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) sequence scanning. The value of different MRI scan patterns in diagnosing acute cerebral infarction with cerebral microbleeds was compared. Results Patients with acute cerebral infarction and type A cerebral microbleeds mainly manifested as spot signal loss, non peripheral edema and non occupying effect on SWI sequence, low signal on DWI, slightly lower signals on T2WI and FLAIR, quasi-circular equal or low density shadow on T1WI. Acute cerebral infarction with type B cerebral microbleeds showed small patchy irregular low signal on SWI sequence, multiple spotted and patchy low signal or mixed signal shadow on DWI, equal or slightly higher signal on T1WI, equal or slightly lower signal on T2WI, and slightly lower signal on FLAIR. The detection rate of cerebral microbleeds by SWI was significantly higher than that by DWI or MRI routine sequence (χ2 = 49.412, 36.505, P<0.05). Images of different MRI scan patterns (DWI sequence and SWI sequence) for patients with acute cerebral infarction and cerebral microbleeds were characteristic. Conclusion The value of SWI in the diagnosis of acute cerebral infarction with cerebral microbleeds is higher than that of MRI routine sequence or DWI sequenc. It has more advantages in clinical application.