Presentation and Prognosis of Bilateral Infarcts in the Territory of the Superior Cerebellar Artery

Unilateral cerebellar infarcts in the territory of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) have been studied in recent years to delineate the clinical presentation and stroke mechanism, but most studies excluded bilateral infarctions. We have studied patients with bilateral SCA infarctions to provide data on clinical findings, stroke distribution and outcome. We collected data of 8 patients with bilateral SCA infarctions recognized by computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. The most common clinical presentation of patients with bilateral SCA infarctions were nausea, vomiting or vertigo (6 patients), often associated with ataxia and dysarthria (5 patients). Further symptoms were variable and depended on additional infarcts in other vascular territories. Infarcts were often partial or scattered with equal distribution between the medial and lateral branches of the SCA. Complete infarction within the SCA area occurred in less than half of the cases. Clinical outcome was either benign (full recovery in 3 patients) or fatal (5 patients). Predictors for a good clinical recovery were young age, few vascular risk factors, only partial involvement of the SCA territory without involvement of other vascular territories, and absent limb weakness on clinical presentation.