Small deep infarcts diagnosed on computed tomography.

The clinical and angiographic correlations of small deep infarcts seen on computed tomography (CT) scan were studied in 297 consecutive patients. Some of these showed the features described by Fisher as part of the lacunar syndrome. In a large number, a source of emboli from either a cardiac or a carotid source was highly probable; in a smaller number, other vascular diseases were present. The finding of a small deep infarct on CT does not exclude the need for further investigation of a possible embolic source in selected patients.