Lacunar infarcts: clinical and computed tomographic correlations.

The computed tomographic (CT) findings in 34 patients in whom 45 lacunae were observed were reviewed. Twenty-four patients had a recent stroke-like clinical picture, whereas in ten patients, symptoms developed gradually. Three patients had no abnormal neurologic findings. Twenty-two patients had evidence of systemic arterial hypertension. A round or ovoid, sharply marginated, nonenhancing hypodense lesion that was smaller than 20 mm in diameter and that was seen on only two scan sections was considered characteristic of a cerebral lacuna. With the use of "high resolution" CT, the frequency of the diagnosis of cerebral lacunae by CT has markedly increased.