A cerebral infarction is the pathologic process that results in an area of necrotic tissue in the brain (cerebral infarct). It is caused by disrupted blood supply and restricted oxygen supply (), most commonly due to thromboembolism, and manifests clinically as ischemic stroke.In response to ischemia, the brain degenerates by the process of liquefactive necrosis.

A placental infarction results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the placenta, causing its cells to die.. Small placental infarcts, especially at the edge of the placental disc, are considered to be normal at term.Large placental infarcts are associated with vascular abnormalities, e.g. hypertrophic decidual vasculopathy, as seen in hypertension.