Lesion localization in developing poststroke hand dystonia.

Reports of 9 cases with hand dystonia due to stroke are described. The site of the lesion was found to be parietothalamic in 1 patient, posterolateral thalamic in 5 patients, dorsal thalamic in 2 patients and medial thalamic in 1 patient as defined by computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. In addition to the hand dystonia, hemiballism was noted in 1 case, hemichorea in 2 cases, action tremor in 3, anxiety in 3 and pain in 2 cases. The time lapse from the stroke to the manifestation of dystonia was 1 month to 2 years.