Objective To investigate the predictive effect of the image characteristics of leisons different parts in cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to progressive cerebral infarction prediction, in order to provide objective theoretical basis for its clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods The patients with cerebral infarction who were treated in our hospital from January 2012 to January 2015 were selected as study object, their infartion lesions were clear by MRI. According to the condition, they will be divided into progressive cerebral infarction group and non -progressive cerebral infarction group, the distribution of various subtypes were compared in the progressive and non progressive cerebral infarction. And the relation between the various subtypes and the types of cerebral infarction was analyzed. Results The patients with non-progressive cerebral infarction were 86 cases (66.2%) and 44 cases of patients with progressive cerebral infarction (33.8%); The distribution of subtypes in two groups are as follow, the infartion rate of anterior circulation cortex, basal ganglia, radiation crown, posterior circulation area was 19.8%, 38.4%, 18.6%, 23.3% respectively in non-progressive cerebral infarction group; while the infartion rate of anterior circulation cortex, basal ganglia, radiation crown, posterior circulation area was 50%, 18.2%, 11.4%, 20.5% respectively in progressive cerebral infarction group , the constituent ratio of them was significantly different (P<0.05); The Analysis results showed that the different part of cerebral infarction subtypes, including anterior circulation cortex, corona radiata and posterior circulation area infarction were associated with progressive cerebral infarction correlation (P<0.05). Conclusion Progressive cerebral infarction mainly occurs in the anterior circulation cortical area, and the infarct location is closely related to the progression of cerebral infarction.