SUMMARYThe hospital records and head CT scans of 44 patients with hemorrhagic infarction were retrospectively analyzed. The majority of cases (73%) were embolic or possibly embolic In etiology, and 55% were not associated with anticoagulant therapy. Adverse prognosis was most clearly related to infarct size, underlying systemic illness, and symptomatic hemorrhage. Of the nineteen patients hi whom serial CT scans documented conversion from bland to hemorrhagic infarction, 12 exhibited no clinical worsening at the tune that hemorrhagic infarction was observed; the remaining seven, all of whom worsened, were receiving anticoagulant therapy at the tune of documented conversion. Fourteen patients hi whom anticoagulant therapy was used despite the findings of hemorrhagic infarction remained stable or improved during bospitalization.
Stroke Vol 17, No 4, 1986HEMORRHAGIC INFARCTION (HI) has long been recognized as a potential complication of embolic stroke. Fisher and Adams postulated that downstream migration of the embolus after its initial impact leads to extravasation of blood via reflow into damaged vessels of the proximally infarcted zone.
1The exact role of anticoagulants in the causation of hemorrhage into infarcted brain tissue remains unknown. Moreover, recent studies have emphasized the efficacy of early anticoagulation (AC) in the prevention of recurrent embolic stroke. Serial CT scanning allows direct observation of the effect of AC on the evolution of embolic infarcts.We have retrospectively analyzed our experience with patients in whom the diagnosis of HI was made by CT during a period of two years. The study sought to clarify the roles of anticoagulation and embolism in producing HI and to explore the clinical significance of hemorrhagic transformation of bland infarction.
MethodsThe CT scan reports of all patients studied during the years 1983 and 1984 in two tertiary hospitals were surveyed, and the hospital records reviewed for all cases in whom the diagnosis of HI was made. All scans were reviewed again by one of two neuroradiologists without knowledge of the clinical picture and a neurologist to verify the original diagnosis and tabulate the characteristics of each HI.The radiologic diagnosis of HI was defined as an area of low attenuation conforming to a vascular territory within which a single non-homogeneous area or multiple areas of high attenuation were present with characteristic blood density. Infarct size was described as large if the entire vascular territory of a major vessel (anterior, middle, or posterior cerebral artery) was involved; moderate if a major division of that territory was involved; and small if only a minor branch territory was involved. The extent of hemorrhage was described as severe if greater than 50% of the infarct was of blood density; mild if having the appearance of scattered punctate hemorrhages; and moderate for those of intermediate degree.Cases were classified as "probably cardiac embolism" if: 1) the symptoms appeared suddenly and rapidly achieved maximal inte...