'Crescendo' transient ischemic attacks: clinical and angiographic correlations.

Forty-seven consecutive patients presenting acutely with repetitive symptoms indicative of anterior circulation ischemia ("crescendo" transient ischemic attacks) were evaluated to identify clinical features that might reliably predict the presence of significant stenosis, ulceration, or both in the presumably symptomatic internal carotid artery. Angiographic or intraoperative correlation was obtained in all patients, and 26 (55%) were found to have anatomically significant disease. Of 20 patients with signs or symptoms suggestive of cortical ischemia, amaurosis fugax, or both, 17 (85%) had "positive" angiograms; of 18 with numbness/weakness only, 9 (50%) had positive angiograms; of 9 whose symptoms suggested lacunar ischemia, none had positive angiograms.