Interrelationships Among Regional Cerebral Blood Flow, Mean Transit Time, Vascular Volume and Cerebral Vascular Resistance

The simultaneous measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), mean transit time (MTT), vascular volume (CVV) and cerebral vascular resistance (CVR) was performed in patients with cerebrovascular diseases. The measurement was made by a gamma-ray scintillation camera assisted by a minicomputer. A diffusible indicator of133Xe for CBF determination and a nondiffusible indicator of 99m Tc for MIT determination were used. The relation between rCBF and MTT showed a negative correlation in the nonfocal areas. The rCBF value in patients with normal brain was constant at high and low blood pressures. In patients with cerebral infarction there was a positive correlation between rCBF and mean arterial blood pressure. MTT had a negative correlation with mean arterial blood pressure in both patients with normal brain and those with cerebral infarction. In patients with normal brain a good negative correlation between CVV and CVR was found. In the nonfocal areas of cerebral infarction a high level of CVR was maintained regardless of the level of CVV.