Computed tomographic and postmortem study of a nonhemorrhagic thalamic infarction

N. R. Graff-Radford, R. L. Schelper, I. A. Ilinsky and H. Damasio

A 70-year-old man had a stroke and became unconscious. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) with 5-mm cuts disclosed bilateral thalamic infarctions, larger on the left than the right. He died one week later, and a postmortem examination was performed. By plotting the CT on templates constructed to show the different vascular territories of the thalamus, the infarctions were predicted to be in the territories of the interpeduncular profunda arteries. Comparing sagittal reconstructions to the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas, the following thalamic nuclei were thought to be involved: dorsomedial, parafascicular, and centrum medianum bilaterally; and reticular, ventroanterior, and ventrolateral on the left. Pathologic study confirmed these findings. We believe that it is possible to predict the vascular territory of thalamic infarctions by plotting the CT on templates showing the different vascular territories of the thalamus. Sagittal reconstructions of CT scans also permit the determination of thalamic nuclei involved in a lesion.