Regional cerebral blood flow in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

With a multidetector scintillation camera regional cerebral blood flow, rCBF, was evaluated in 13 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Mean CBF was subnormal, and there seems to be a relationship between CBF and severity of the neurological deficit. The regional pattern showed ischaemic as well as hyperaemic areas. Vasospasms mostly produced ischaemic areas, roughly corresponding to the region supplied by the involved artery. The hyperaemic areas were striking. This hyperaemia can perhaps be regarded as a reaction to initial ischaemia.