Abstract
Objectives
This paper aims to determine the frequency of isolated labyrinthine infarction as
an initial manifestation of anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) territory infarction
and discuss its clinical implication.
Methods
We studied 54 consecutive patients with AICA infarction diagnosed by brain MRI from
the acute stroke registry.
Results
We identified 4 patients (7.4%) with AICA territory infarction who initially presented
with vertigo and hearing loss mimicking acute labyrinthitis and subsequently suffered
from delayed neurological deficits. All patients had normal brain MRIs including diffusion-weighted
images at the time of isolated audiovestibular loss, but all subsequently exhibited
acute infarct(s) in the AICA territory on follow-up brain MRIs when they developed
additional neurological deficits.
Conclusion
Labyrinthine infarction may be a warning sign of impending pontocerebellar infarction
in the AICA territory. Our results indicate that even a classical peripheral presentation,
e.g., acute hearing loss, and acute vertigo with unidirectional nystagmus, may be
a manifestation of ischemic stroke in the posterior circulation.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 12, 2009
Accepted:
December 3,
2008
Received in revised form:
November 26,
2008
Received:
October 14,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
