Cerebral microinfarcts are presumed to be a manifestation of ischemic cerebral small vessel disease. It is presumed to have close relationship with dementia and cerebrovascular disease. With the advancement of imaging technology, high-resolution MRI has been found to detect microinfarctions in vivo. Current studies have shown that cerebral microinfarctions are not only commonly in individuals with dementia and elderly with normal aging, but also in patients with ischemic stroke. Based on the recently published MRI studies of microinfarcts in ischemic stroke patients, this paper summarizes the detection rate, risk factors, etiology and prognosis of cerebral microinfarcts, and aims to provide new ideas for the formulation of prevention and treatment strategies of cerebral microinfarcts related brain damage in ischemic stroke patients.