The "Hot Stroke"

Thirteen patients with cerebral infarction showed increased relative blood perfusion to the infarcted hemisphere when studied by gamma camera, intravenous sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m flow and static techniques. The temporal evolution of the relative increased flow was correlated with the static study uptake and the angiogram. The "hot stroke" phenomenon as seen with these methods was most often associated with embolic rather than atherosclerotic-thrombotic infarction. The differential diagnosis of increased flow to an area of increased static uptake is discussed.