Large subcortical hemispheric infarctions. Presentation and prognosis.

A specific form of large subcortical hemispheric infarction on computed tomography was identified in 24 of 2198 (1%) stroke registry patients. Combined with 13 cases from earlier literature reports, a characteristic neurologic picture developed. Severe face plus arm plus leg weakness at onset (76%), corticallike features of aphasia and/or contralateral neglect (68%), and premonitory transient ischemic attacks (24%) were frequent. Twenty-two patients (59%) had large vessel arterial occlusive disease. Eight patients (22%) had primary embolic occlusion in the middle cerebral artery territory. During an average follow-up of 16 months, five patients (14%) suffered recurrent stroke or death. The clinical presentation and prognostic features of this distinct stroke subtype are described.