Computerized tomographic abnormalities in patients with hemispheric transient ischemic attacks.

In 100 patients with transient ischemic attacks, correlations between clinical features and CT findings were analyzed. In 77 patients, CT scans were normal. Five percent had mass lesions and 18 had vascular lesions (ischemia, infarction, hematoma) delineated by CT. In two patients whose CT showed a hypodense lesion indicating cerebral infarction, clinical and CT worsening followed carotid surgery. In six patients with isodense enhancing lesions indicating ischemia, there was no clinical or CT deterioration after operation.