Capsular ataxic hemiparesis. Early diagnosis with MRI.

The Authors report a case of ataxic hemiparesis caused by a lacunar infarct involving the posterior limb of the right internal capsule, in a 64-year-old hypertensive man who completely recovered in about two weeks. The lesion was detected by MRI four days after the onset of illness, when the CT scan was normal. In patients presenting with ataxic hemiparesis, MRI is the most accurate tool in locating very small causative infarcts of the brainstem or the subcortical white matter.