Blood flow and vascular reactivity during attacks of classic migraine--limitations of the Xe-133 intraarterial technique

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Headache; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.1989.hed2901015.x· OSTI ID:6255676

Skyhoj Olsen, T; Lassen, N A

The present study reports cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements in 11 patients during attacks of classic migraine (CM)--migraine with aura. In 6 and 7 patients, respectively, cerebral vascular reactivity to increased blood pressure and to hypocapnia was also investigated during the CM attacks. The Xenon-133 intraarterial injection technique was used to measure CBF. In this study, based in part on previously published data, methodological limitations, in particular caused by scattered radiation (Compton scatter), are critically analysed. Based on this analysis and the results of the CBF studies it is concluded: During CM attacks CBF appears to decrease focally in the posterior part of the brain to a level around 20 ml/100 g/min which is consistent with a mild degree of ischemia. Changes of CBF in focal low flow areas are difficult to evaluate accurately with the Xe-133 technique. In most cases true CBF may change 50% or more in the low flow areas without giving rise to significantly measurable changes of CBF. This analysis suggests that the autoregulation response cannot be evaluated in the low flow areas with the technique used while the observations are compatible with the concept that a vasoconstrictive state, unresponsive to hypocapnia, prevails in the low flow areas during CM attacks. The gradual increase in size of the low flow area seen in several cases may be interpreted in two different ways. A spreading process may actually exist. However, due to Compton scatter, a gradual decrease of CBF in a territory that does not increase in size will also appear as a gradually spreading low flow area when studied with the Xe-133 intracarotid technique.

• OSTI ID: 6255676
• Journal Information: Headache; (United States), Vol. 29:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
CEREBRAL CORTEX
BLOOD FLOW
VASCULAR DISEASES
DIAGNOSIS
BLOOD PRESSURE
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
HOMEOSTASIS
HYPERTENSION
MUSCLES
PATIENTS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VASOCONSTRICTION
XENON 133
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
BRAIN
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBRUM
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEI
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPES
SYMPTOMS
TOMOGRAPHY
XENON ISOTOPES
550601* - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics