title: Cerebellar cortical infarct cavities and vertebral artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cerebellar cortical infarct cavities are a newly recognised entity associated with atherothromboembolic cerebrovascular disease and worse physical functioning. We aimed to investigate the relationship of cerebellar cortical infarct cavities with symptomatic vertebrobasilar ischaemia and with vascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the MR images of 46 patients with a recent vertebrobasilar TIA or stroke and a symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis ≥50 % from the Vertebral Artery Stenting Trial (VAST) for the presence of cerebellar cortical infarct cavities ≤1.5 cm. At inclusion in VAST, data were obtained on age, sex, history of vertebrobasilar TIA or stroke, and vascular risk factors. Adjusted risk ratios were calculated with Poisson regression analyses for the relation between cerebellar cortical infarct cavities and vascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen out of 46 (35 %) patients showed cerebellar cortical infarct cavities on the initial MRI, and only one of these 16 patients was known with a previous vertebrobasilar TIA or stroke. In patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar ischaemia, risk factor profiles of patients with cerebellar cortical infarct cavities were not different from patients without these cavities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebellar cortical infarct cavities are seen on MRI in as much as one third of patients with recently symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis. Since patients usually have no prior history of vertebrobasilar TIA or stroke, cerebellar cortical infarct cavities should be added to the spectrum of common incidental brain infarcts visible on routine MRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. laurens_de_cocker@hotmail.com.|Kliniek Sint-Jan Radiologie, Kruidtuinlaan 32, 1000, Brussels, Belgium. laurens_de_cocker@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Laurens J L
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: De Cocker
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Compter
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kappelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Luijten
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrikse
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Van der Worp
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D015984:Causality; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015607:Stents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Cerebellum; Cortical infarct cavity; Incidental brain infarction; Ischaemia; MRI