Caudate body (CB) sign: new early CT sign of hyperacute anterior cerebral circulation infarction.

This case series describes the caudate body (CB) sign noted in computed tomography (CT) scans of patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) clinically manifesting symptoms suggestive of anterior cerebral circulation infarction. This sign has the advantage of early appearance, side-to-side comparison, and high conspicuity. Two of the presented cases demonstrate the CB sign in the absence of other established signs typically seen with early cerebral infarction. Five additional cases demonstrate this sign in conjunction with previously described criteria. The CB sign may allow earlier detection of hyperacute infarction leading to more rapid initiation of thrombolytics to minimize ischemic injury.