248 patients with an ischaemic stroke were investigated with computer tomography. A hypodense lesion was observed in 18 of TIAs, 76 of PRINDS and 95 of completed stroke patients. In the patients with TIA the hypodense lesions were mainly single ones, whereas completed stroke patients also had a significantly higher proportion of more bilateral lesions. Atrophy was present in 44 of TIA patients, 68 of PRIND patients and 82 of completed stroke patients. Atrophy was generalised in 60 of the patients and homolateral in only 16. Contrast medium enhancement in a hypodense area occurred only in patients with PRIND and completed stroke and never in TIA patients. Multiple lesions and atrophy were significantly more common in patients with dementia. The time course showed oedema initially in 47 of patients which fell to 25 after the 1st week. Contrast medium enhancement was present initially in 42 of the patients, rose to 70 until the 3rd week and then fell continuously until the 6th week. The change from an indistinct to a distinct outline of a lesion coincided with this.
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