Lacunar infarct: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Lacunar infarct

Also written as: lacune, lacunar stroke, lacunar infarction, small deep infarct

A lacunar infarct is a small stroke deep in the brain, caused by a blocked tiny artery. Many are old and found by chance on a scan.

Seen on: MRI, CT

How it reads in a report

A 6 mm chronic lacunar infarct in the right thalamus. No restricted diffusion to suggest acute infarction.

What it means

Deep inside the brain, tiny arteries branch off to feed areas that relay signals and control movement, such as the thalamus and basal ganglia. If one of them blocks, a small patch of tissue dies. Once healed, it often leaves a tiny fluid-filled hole called a lacune, usually less than 15 mm across. Chronic or old means the stroke happened in the past.

When it matters

An old lacunar infarct found by chance is common, especially with high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking. It usually points to small vessel disease rather than a clot traveling from the heart or neck. Your doctor may review blood pressure, cholesterol and other risk factors. A recent one shows up bright on diffusion MRI images and is treated as a new stroke. Older scans can help date it.

Questions to ask your doctor

Is this infarct old, or could it be recent?
Could it explain any weakness, numbness or clumsiness I have had?
Which risk factors should we check, such as blood pressure or diabetes?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.