Presentation and prognosis of bilateral infarcts in the territory of the superior cerebellar artery

Unilateral cerebellar infarcts in the territory of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) have been studied in recent years to delineate the clinical pr esentation and stroke mechanism, but most studies excluded bilateral infarc tions. We have studied patients With bilateral SCA infarctions to provide d ata on clinical findings, stroke distribution and outcome. We collected dat a of 8 patients with bilateral SCA infarctions recognized by computed tomog raphy and/or magnetic resonance imaging. The most common clinical presentat ion of patients with bilateral SCA infarctions were nausea, vomiting or ver tigo (6 patients), often associated with ataxia and dysarthria (5 patients) . Further symptoms were variable and depended on additional infarcts in oth er vascular territories. Infarcts were often partial or scattered with equa l distribution between the medial and lateral branches of the SCA, Complete infarction within the SCA area occurred in less than half of the cases. Cl inical outcome was either benign (full recovery in 3 patients) or fatal (5 patients). Predictors for a good clinical recovery were young age, few vasc ular risk factors, only partial involvement of the SCA territory without in volvement of other vascular territories, and absent limb weakness on clinic al presentation.