title: Lateral Thalamic Infarction and the Vascular Geometry of the Posterior Cerebral Artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The geometric properties of the parental artery affect the development of local atherosclerosis and perforator infarction. In this study, we aimed at investigating the association between vascular geometry of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) and the development of isolated lateral thalamic infarction (LTI), the most frequent type of thalamic infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The geometric properties of the corresponding PCA in LTI patients were assessed and they include the diameters of the distal basilar artery (BA) and proximal PCA, distal BA - PCA angle, first PCA angle (angle between P1 and P2), and the presence of the posterior communicating artery (Pcom). These parameters obtained from the ipsilesional PCA were compared with the contralesional PCA and the corresponding PCA in age- and sex-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five LTI patients were enrolled. The ipsilesional PCA in LTI patients demonstrated a greater ipsilesional P1 - P2 angle (81.4 ± 22.6 vs. 71.3 ± 23.2°, respectively; p = 0.04) and a higher prevalence of Pcom (42.2 vs. 13.3%; p = 0.002) when compared to control subjects. In comparison with the contralesional PCA, ipsilesional PCA demonstrated a smaller diameter, larger angle between P1 and P2 segment, and a higher prevalence of Pcom. The presence of hyperlipidemia (OR 3.548 (1.283-9.811); p = 0.02) and Pcom (OR 3.507 (1.104-11.135); p = 0.03) was a factor that was independently associated with LTI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local hemodynamics in the PCA may be influenced by the P1 - P2 angle and the presence of Pcom, which are associated with the development of LTI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bum Joon
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Dong-Wha
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sun U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jong S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002941:Circle of Willis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D020762:Infarction, Posterior Cerebral Artery / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020769:Posterior Cerebral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply*