Cerebral infarction. Coloured Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of a 75 year old man, showing a Icerebral infarction. i Smaller Icerebral i arteries are seen branching off larger arteries originating from the base of the brain. A blood haemorrhage (centre right, yellow ) with infarction (death of tissue) has occurred next to one Icerebral i artery. The cause was atheroma, the collection of fatty tissue on walls of blood vessels which weakens the arteries. Known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), it may result in a stroke. MRI shows up blood vessels without the need to inject a contrast medium into the blood.