PURPOSE: To evaluate the degeneration of the ipsilateral substantia nigra after striatal infarction by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five adult patients with embolic cerebral infarction of the middle cerebral artery distribution underwent MR imaging 0-4, 5-9, 12-15, and 27-29 days after the stroke. Sixteen of them also underwent follow-up MR imaging 2-12 months after the stroke. RESULTS: Ten patients had an infarct in the striatum with or without a cortical infarct (striatal infarction group); the other 15 patients had an infarct in the cerebral cortex of the middle cerebral artery distribution without a striatal infarct (cortical infarction group). In all 10 patients with striatal infarction, a hyperintense spot appeared in the ipsilateral substantia nigra on T2-weighted fast spin-echo images 7-12 days after the onset. This area became less intense and smaller 3 months later. In the cortical infarction group, no hyperintense spot in the ipsilateral substantia nigra was observed at any time. CONCLUSION: Degeneration of the substantia nigra ipsilateral to the striatal infarction was clearly demonstrated at MR imaging. This finding should not be mistaken for further cerebral infarction.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the degeneration of the ipsilateral substantia nigra after striatal infarction by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five adult patients with embolic cerebral infarction of the middle cerebral artery distribution underwent MR imaging 0-4, 5-9, 12-15, and 27-29 days after the stroke. Sixteen of them also underwent follow-up MR imaging 2-12 months after the stroke. RESULTS: Ten patients had an infarct in the striatum with or without a cortical infarct (striatal infarction group); the other 15 patients had an infarct in the cerebral cortex of the middle cerebral artery distribution without a striatal infarct (cortical infarction group). In all 10 patients with striatal infarction, a hyperintense spot appeared in the ipsilateral substantia nigra on T2-weighted fast spin-echo images 7-12 days after the onset. This area became less intense and smaller 3 months later. In the cortical infarction group, no hyperintense spot in the ipsilateral substantia nigra was observed at any time. CONCLUSION: Degeneration of the substantia nigra ipsilateral to the striatal infarction was clearly demonstrated at MR imaging. This finding should not be mistaken for further cerebral infarction.
Authors: Pavel Yanev; Peter R Seevinck; Umesh S Rudrapatna; Mark Jrj Bouts; Annette van der Toorn; Karen Gertz; Golo Kronenberg; Matthias Endres; Geralda A van Tilborg; Rick M Dijkhuizen Journal: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab Date: 2016-01-01 Impact factor: 6.200
Authors: Marco Duering; Ruthger Righart; Frank Arne Wollenweber; Vera Zietemann; Benno Gesierich; Martin Dichgans Journal: Neurology Date: 2015-03-25 Impact factor: 9.910