Angiographic classification of cerebral embolism. Relation with the response to local intra-arterial thrombolysis.

: Since 1994, we have treated 62 cases with hyperacute cerebral embolism with local intraarterial thrombolysis (LIT), but not all cases showed recanalization. We tried to classify these cases by angiographic results. Angiographically they could be classified into four types; tapering type, fading type, stump type, and edge type. The tapering and fading type had a significantly higher tendency to recanalize than the stump and edge type. We think these classifications indicate the dissolubility of the cerebral emboli; the former two types dissoluble, the latter two types indissoluble. The tapering and fading type are the good indicators for LIT, but the stump and edge type may not be.