Are CT infarcts a separate risk factor in patients with transient cerebral ischaemic episodes?
CT cerebral infarcts have been reported in a number of studies of patients with transient ischaemic episodes. The hypothesis that these asignomatic infarcts, i.e. without associated clinical neurological deficit reflect the ability of the brain to limit the extent of neuronal damage through its collateral circulation was tested in 50 patients undergoing both CT scanning and cerebral angiography. Out of 50 patients there were 15 patients with a total of 17 infarcts on CT scan. Fourteen of 50 patients had evidence of diminished collateral reserve capacity on cerebral angiography. Ten of these 14 patients (71%) had CT evidence of infarction, in contrast to an incidence of five out of 36 patients (14%) without evidence of diminished collateral reserve. These results indicate that CT infarcts and collateral cerebral circulation must be evaluated as prognostic factors in patients with T.I.A.s.
Meagher
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E
Department of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
Grace
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PA
Bouchier-Hayes
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D
D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003097:Collateral Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed