INFARCTION OF THE CORPUS-CALLOSUM - COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Objective: To describe the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic reson ance (MR) features of corpus callosum (CC) infarctions. Methods: We re viewed retrospectively 352 consecutive cranial CT and MR scans showing cerebral infarcts. Involvement of the CC was identified in 28 patient s. Results: Infarctions of the CC were diffuse (n = 3) or focal (n = 2 5). The former were seen in the setting of diffuse cerebral ischemia s econdary to cardiopulmonary arrest or status epilepticus. The latter w ere divided into those affecting predominantly the genu, body or splen ium. The most common location of the insult was the splenium (n = 13), followed by the body (n = 6) and genu (n = 3). In the remaining three patients combined genu/body infarctions were seen. Conclusion: Infarc tion of the CC may be more common than previously thought and is most often the result of cerebral embolism. MR is better suited than CT for the detection of vascular lesions of the CC. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd.