As a medical professional with expertise in neurology, I can clarify that while a stroke and a cerebral infarction are related, they are not exactly the same thing. A stroke is a broader term that refers to any kind of damage to the brain that is caused by an interruption or reduction of blood flow to the brain cells. This can be due to either ischemia (lack of blood flow) or hemorrhage (bleeding). On the other hand, a cerebral infarction is a more specific type of stroke that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is blocked, leading to the death of brain tissue. This blockage can be caused by a thrombus (a blood clot that forms at the site of the blockage), an embolus (a blood clot that travels to the brain from elsewhere in the body), or an atheromatous stenosis (narrowing of the artery due to plaque buildup). So, while all cerebral infarctions are strokes, not all strokes are cerebral infarctions. For example, a hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by a bleed in the brain, would not be considered an infarction. read more >>

Cerebral infarction. ... The restricted oxygen due to the restricted blood supply causes an ischemic stroke that can result in an infarction if the blood flow is not restored within a relatively short period of time. The blockage can be due to a thrombus, an embolus or an atheromatous stenosis of one or more arteries.read more >>