Variability of the regional cerebral blood flow pattern studied with [ 11C]-fluoromethane and position emission tomography (PET)

• Published in: COMPUTERIZED MEDICAL IMAGING AND GRAPHICS Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 311 - 322
• Main Authors: Seitz, R.J., Roland, P.E.
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Ltd 01.09.1992; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - blood supply; Carbon Radioisotopes; Cerebral Cortex - blood supply; Cerebrovascular Circulation - physiology; Electroencephalography; Functional Laterality - physiology; Habituation; Habituation, Psychophysiologic - physiology; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system; Positron emission tomography; Radionuclide investigations; Reference Values; Regional Blood Flow; Regional cerebral blood flow; Rest; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Rest; Regional cerebral blood flow; Positron emission tomography; Habituation; Radionuclide study; Human; Variability; Hemodynamics; Blood flow; Brain (vertebrata); Positron
• ISSN: 0895-6111; 1879-0771
• DOI: 10.1016/0895-6111(92)90144-X

The mean regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) pattern measured with [ 11C]-fluoromethane and positron emission tomography (PET) in 26 healthy subjects was heterogenous throughout the brain showing the highest rCBF in the medial prefrontal cortex and the lowest rCBF in the inferior temporal cortex. Right/left asymmetry of the mean rCBF was not significant. The variability of the rCBF pattern was assessed by dividing the subjects into one group of naive subjects and one group of subjects who had habituated to the scanning procedure. Naive subjects had a significantly higher mean rCBF ( p < 0.05) in defined areas of the higher order association cortices predominantly in the right cerebral hemisphere, but a virtually identical mean rCBF in the primary cortical input and output areas. These findings suggest a raised level of mental activity in subjects undergoing the first PET measurement.