Combined SPECT imaging of regional cerebral blood flow (99mTc-hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime, HMPAO) and blood volume (99mTc-RBC) to assess regional cerebral perfusion reserve in patients with cerebrovascular disease.

In 53 patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD), regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood volume (CBV) were imaged by SPECT within one session. Slice division (CBF: CBV) yielded distribution of regional cerebral perfusion reserve (CPR). Semiquantitative evaluation was obtained from manually set ROIs by interhemispherical ratios (for CBF, CBV and CPR), using 2 SD from a normal group (n = 10) as a threshold. Sensitivities were 59% for CBF, 94% for CBV and 83% for CPR. Combined sensitivity was 98%. Establishing three constellations for CBF, CBV and CPR, regionally normal CBFs but quantitatively increased CBVs (+69%) and decreased CPRs (-31%) were found in relatively early stages of CVD. Very advanced cases showed decreased CBFs (-65%), CBVs (-40%), CPRs (-49%) and a surrounding penumbra. In 87% (46/53 patients), such rheologically postulated constellations could be demonstrated. We conclude that combined CBF and CBV SPECT, assisted by CPR images, is a promising tool to detect CVD and to assess its individual regional severity.