CEREBRAL AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY AND INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE WITH SPECIALREFERENCE TO THE PONS

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy accounts for approximately 10% of spontane ous intracerebral hemorrhage, typically in the cortex and subcortical white matter. Its contribution to primary pontine hemorrhage is not kn own. The present study was designed to determine if amyloid angiopathy occurs in the pons and whether primary pontine hemorrhages are associ ated with amyloid infiltration of nearby vessels. Two groups of patien ts were identified. Group A included 30 patients with proven CAA in wh om special blocks of the pons were taken, group B consisted of 10 prim ary pontine hemorrhages in whom transverse blocks were available. A co ngo red stain and an A4 immunohistochemical technique were used. Only 1 patient from group A and none from group B had amyloid angiopathy in the pons. It is concluded that pontine angiopathy is rare and an exce ptional cause of primary pontine hemorrhage.