What structures make up the lentiform nucleus?
The putamen is the larger and most lateral part. The globus pallidus, divided into pars interna and pars externa, make up the the more medial part, filling the genu of the internal capsule.
What arteries supply the superior part of the head and body of the caudate nucleus and the lentiform nucleus?
The lenticulostriate perforating vessels, which arise from the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery.
Why are the caudate and lenitform nucleus and the insular cortex the earliest grey matter structures to become hypodense in middle cerebral artery infarcts?
The lenticulostriate arteries are end arteries and the insular cortex is the cortex supplied by the middle cerebral artery which is furthest from other territories and thus least likely to receive adequate collateral supply.
Hypodensity and loss of grey white matter differentiation of the superior head and body of caudate (blue arrow), lentiform nucleus (yellow arrow) and of the insular cortex and adjacent frontal operculum (red arrows).
Hyperdence MCA sign is present on the left (green arrow) representing the intraluminal thrombus.