Lacunar syndrome due to neurocysticercosis

Abstract

Seven patients with neurocysticercosis presented with a lacunar syndrome. Four patients had sensorimotor stroke, two had pure motor hemiparesis, and one had ataxic hemiparesis. In every patient, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging or both showed a lacunar infarct that was secondary to the occlusion of a terminal vessel affected by endarteritis and was most commonly associated with cysticerci in the suprasellar cistern. Diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was difficult on clinical grounds, but proper integration of data from computed tomography and cerebrospinal fluid analysis provided an accurate diagnosis in every case. Neurocysticercosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young adults with a lacunar syndrome who come from areas of the world where this disease is endemic.