J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2007 Mar;41(3):182-185. 10.3340/jkns.2007.41.3.182.

Isolated Distal Leg Weakness due to a Small Cerebral Infarction Masquerading as a Spinal Lesion

• Han IB
• Ahn JY
• Chung YS
• Chung SS

• KMID: 1881679
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2007.41.3.182

Abstract

Acute stroke with isolated monoparesis manifesting as distal weakness of a single lower extremity has rarely been described. We report two patients with small cortical infarction who had distal weakness of a single lower extremity. In both cases, diffusion-weighted image (DWI) was used to detect small lesions in the contralateral cortex. These cases illustrate that small cortical infarction can cause isolated monoparesis limited to distal part of the leg and it may be misdiagnosed as spinal lesions, especially when lower back pain and transient sensory symptoms are accompanied. In case of the abrupt onset of weakness limited to one lower limb, the possibility of stroke should be considered and careful attention to identify cortical lesions using magnetic resonance imaging, especially DWI is required.

Keyword

Pure motor monoparesis; Cerebral infarction

MeSH Terms

Cerebral Infarction*
Humans
Infarction
Leg*
Low Back Pain
Lower Extremity
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Paresis
Stroke