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(Stroke. 2008;39:476.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Letters

Lack of Evidence for Arterial Ischemia in Transient Global Amnesia

Manuel Toledo, MD, PhD; Francesc Pujadas, MD; Elisenda Grivé, MD; José Álvarez-Sabin, MD, PhD; Manuel Quintana Alex Rovira, MD

From the Neurology Department (M.T., F.P., J.A.-S., M.Q.), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Hospital Vall d’Hebron; and the Institut de Diagnostic per la Imatge (E.G., A.R.), RM Unit, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.

Correspondence to Manuel Toledo, MD, PhD, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Universitary Hospital, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Servicio de Neurologia, Pssg Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. E-mail mtoledo75{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

Background and Purpose— Lesions in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI-L) have been commonly described in transient global amnesia (TGA). We investigated a possible relationship between brain ischemia and TGA.

Methods— Twenty-eight patients underwent transcranial and carotid Doppler ultrasonography (including microembolus detection) and MRI within 24 hours of TGA onset (including DWI, perfusion-weighted imaging and angio-MRI). MRI was repeated at 48 to 96 hours (21 patients) and 30 days (18 patients).

Results— Punctate DWI-L were observed in 16 patients (57%) and were not attributable to perfusion abnormalities, arterial stenoses or underlying cardioembolic disease. MRIs performed between 12 and 72 hours showed the highest frequency of DWI-L (88%; P<0.001). No pathological findings were observed at 30 days.

Conclusions— These results suggest that TGA is not related to cerebral arterial ischemia.

Key Words: brain ischemia • neuroimaging and MRI • transient global amnesia • transient ischemic attack