Cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

We studied 24 patients with autopsy-proven cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Eight patients were demented or had some other medical problem and died of pneumonia or systemic disease. Sixteen patients died of intracranial hemorrhage. Amyloid was found in cortical arteries and arterioles of all patients. CT showed diffuse atrophy in demented patients and intracerebral hematomas in the others. The location and size of the hematoma, with cortical and subarachnoid extension, help to differentiate amyloid angiopathy from other causes of intracranial hemorrhage in the elderly.