SPECT measurement of cerebral hemodynamics in transient ischemic attack patients. -Evaluation of pathogenesis and detection of misery perfusion-

To evaluate the cerebral hemodynamics and the pathogenesis by regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), 42 transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients and 9 normal volunteers were studied using SPECT. We classified these patients into Group A (n = 23; no occlusion or stenosis of the internal carotid or middle cerebral artery; non large vessel disease) and Group B (n = 19: chronic occlusion or severe stenosis of the internal carotid or middle cerebral artery; large vessel disease). We obtained rCBF with ¹³³Xe inhalation and rCBV with ⁹⁹(m)Tc-red blood cells. Of 9 normal volunteers aged 43-70 yr (mean age 59.8 ± 8.3 yr), the mean rCBF was 45.8 ± 5.1 (ml/100g brain/min), the mean rCBV was 4.0 ± 0.4 (ml/100 g brain). The examination was done by comparing the values of the affected hemispheres of Group A and Group B patients with the mean rCBF and the mean rCBV of normal volunteers. Eleven out of Group A patients and 15 out of Group B patients showed decreased rCBF. But of those patients, no patients of Group A showed increased rCBV and 6 out of 19 Group B patients showed increased rCBV. Thromboembolic mechanism which is of Group A patients and Group B patients without increased rCBV, and hemodynamic mechanism which is of Group B patients with increased rCBV were considered as the main cause of TIA. Decreased rCBF and increased rCBV in Group B patients can be assumed as the misery perfusion as reported in PET studies. We conclude that SPECT measurement of not only rCBF but also rCBV on TIA patients is very significant to evaluate the pathogenesis and to detect the misery perfusion.