[Diagnostic validity of sensorimotor stroke].
BACKGROUND
In the clinical practice, "sensorimotor stroke" (SMS) do not always correspond to the diagnosis of small-vessel occlusion (SVO, lacune). We aimed to evaluate diagnostic validity of acute SMS with the use of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI).


METHODS
We analyzed 57 consecutive patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke presenting with SMS. Acute infarcts were identified on DWI within 7 days of stroke onset in all patients. Vascular risk factors, emboligenic heart diseases, occlusive cerebral artery disease, infarct size and location, and stroke subtype were evaluated. Stroke subtype was classified according to the TOAST classification.


RESULTS
SMS occurred in 57 cases; 40 men and 17 women (mean +/- age, 68.5 +/- 12.1 years). Frequency of hypertension was the highest (n = 30, 53%) in the vascular risk factors. Emboligenic heart diseases and cerebral artery disease were identified in 14 (25%) and 11 patients (19%), respectively. DWI revealed subcortical infarcts in 47 patients (84%) and infarct diameter <15 mm in 25 (44%). Only 18 patients (32%) met the diagnostic criteria for SVO.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnostic validity of acute SMS was rather low. The clinical picture of SMS is far from being used as synonymous of a SVO.
Kawano
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Neurology, Kumamoto City Hospital.
Yonemura
Kiminobu
K
Misumi
Youhei
Y
Hashimoto
Yoichiro
Y
Hirano
Teruyuki
T
Uchino
Makoto
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*