Mass Effect and Atrophy after Stroke

Abstract

Cerebral edema, resolution of edema, and subsequent development of cerebral atrophy were studied prospectively in 83 patients with ischemic stroke with CT 3 days, 2 weeks, and 6 months post-stroke. Nineteen patients had large (diameter > 3 cm), 25 medium sized (diameter ≥ 1.5 ≤ 3 cm), and 15 lacunar infarcts (diameter < 1.5 cm). In 24 patients no infarcts were seen. Changes of Evans' ratio (ER), septum-caudate distance (S/C), and width of widest cortical sulci (SuW) were taken as markers of mass effect/atrophy. These parameters were within normal limits in most cases. However, when all CT scans performed in each patient were compared, changes of ER, S/C, and SuW became apparent as evidence of mass effect and subsequent atrophy development. Mass effect occurred in 81 percent and atrophy in 58 percent of patients with large infarcts. In patients with medium sized infarcts, mass effect occurred in 38 percent and atrophy in 45 percent.