Intracerebral platelet accumulation as evidence for embolization of carotid origin.
Arterio-arterial embolism of carotid origin is one major cause of cerebral ischemia. To evaluate the role of blood platelets in this process, In-111 labeled platelet scintigraphy was performed in a series of 250 patients. Of this number, one patient with an 80% carotid stenosis and a normal intracerebral angiogram suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) several hours after the injection of radiolabeled platelets. The scintigram showed a pathologic platelet accumulation in the symptomatic carotid area as well as in the ipsilateral brain hemisphere. The authors conclude that this scintigraphic finding of hemispheric platelet aggregates recorded directly after a clinically observed TIA, together with previous observations of retinal emboli after amaurosis fugax attacks, provides strong evidence for the arterio-arterial embolic mechanism of TIA.
Kessler
C M
CM
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
D007205:Indium Radioisotopes