Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Imaging local cerebral blood flow by Xenon-enhanced computed tomography — Technical optimization procedures

  • Originals
  • Published:
Neuroradiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Methods are described for non-invasive, computer-assisted serial scanning throghout the human brain during eight minutes of inhalation of 27%–30% Xenon gas in order to measure local cerebral blood flow (LCBF). Optimized Xenonenhanced computed tomography (XeCT) was achieved by 5-second scanning at one-minute intervals utilizing a state-of-the-art CT scanner and rapid delivery of Xenon gas via a face mask. Values for local brain-blood partition coefficients (Lλ) measured in vivo were utilized to calculate LCBF values. Previous methods assumed Lλ values to be normal, introducing the risk of systematic errors, because Lλ values differ throughout normal brain and may be altered by disease. Color-coded maps of Lλ and LCBF values were formatted directly onto CT images for exact correlation of function with anatomic and pathologic observations (spatial resolution: 26.5 cubic mm). Results were compared among eight normal volunteers, aged between 50 and 88 years. Mean cortical gray matter blood flow was 46.3±7.7, for subcortical gray matter was 50.3±13.2 and for white matter was 18.8±3.2. Modern CT scanners provide stability, improved signal to noise ratio and minimal radiation scatter. Combining these advantages with rapid Xenon saturation of the blood provides correlations of Lλ and LCBF with images of normal and abnormal brain in a safe, useful and non-invasive manner.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lassen NA (1981) Regional cerebral blood flow measurements in stroke: The necessity of a tomographic approach. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1:141–142

    Google Scholar 

  2. Meyer JS (1986) Clinical value and costs for diagnostic testing for evaluation of patients with stroke: Methods for measuring cerebral blood flow. In: Lechner H, Meyer JS, Ott E (eds) Cerebrovascular disease: Research and clinical management, vol 1. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 307–312

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lassen NA, Henriksen L, Paulson O (1981) Regional cerebral blood flow in stroke by 133Xenon inhalation and emission tomography. Stroke 12:284–288

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kuhl DE, Barrio JR, Huang SC, Selin C, Ackermann RF, Lear JL, Wu JL, Lin TH, Phelps ME (1982) Quantifying local cerebral blood flow by N-isopropyl-p-[123I] iodoamphetamine (IMP) tomography. J Nucl Med 23:196–203

    Google Scholar 

  5. Meyer JS (1981) Application of studies of cerebral blood flow: Ischemic cerebravascular disease. In: Moossy J, Reinmuth OM (eds) Cerebrovascular diseases: Twelfth research (Princeton) conference. Raven, New York, pp 125–141

    Google Scholar 

  6. Meyer JS, Hayman LA, Yamamoto M, Sakai F, Nakajima S (1980) Local cerebral blood flow measured by CT after stable Xenon inhalation. AJNR 1:213–225

    Google Scholar 

  7. Meyer JS, Hayman LA, Amano T, Nakajima S, Shaw T, Lauzon P, Derman S, Karacan I, Harati Y (1981) Mapping local blood flow of human brain by CT scanning during stable Xenon inhalation. Stroke 12:426–436

    Google Scholar 

  8. Meyer JS, Okayasu H, Tachibana H, Okabe T (1984) Stable Xenon CT CBF measurements in prevalent cerebravascular disorders (stroke). Stroke 15:80–90

    Google Scholar 

  9. Drayer BP (1981) Functional applications of CT of the central nervous system. AJNR 2:495–510

    Google Scholar 

  10. Amano T, Meyer JS, Okabe T, Shaw T, Mortel KF (1982) Stable Xenon CT cerebral blood flow measurements computed by a single compartment-double integration model in normal aging and dementia. J Comput Assist Tomogr 6:923–932

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gur D, Wolfson Sk Jr, Yonas H, Good WF, Shabason L, Latchaw RE, Miller DM, Cook EE (1982) Progress in cerebrovascular disease: Local cerebral blood flow by Xenon enhanced CT. Stroke 13:750–758

    Google Scholar 

  12. Yonas H, Good WF, Gur D, Wolfson SK Jr, Latchaw RE, Good BC, Leanza R, Miller SL (1984) Mapping cerebral blood flow by Xenon-enhanced computed tomography: Clinical experience. Radiology 152:435–442

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hata T, Gotoh F, Ebihara S, Shinohara T, Kawamura J, Takashima S (1985) Three dimensional local cerebrovascular CO2 responsiveness by cold Xenon method. In: Meyer JS, Lechner H, Reivich M, Ott EO (eds) Cerebral vascular disease 5: Proceedings of the World Federation of Neurology 12th International Salzburg Conference. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 141–147

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hata T, Meyer JS, Tanahashi N, Ishikawa Y, Imai A, Shinohara T, Velez M, Fann WE, Kandula P, Sakai F (1987) Three-dimensional mapping of local cerebral perfusion in alcoholic encephalopathy with and without Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 7:35–44

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kitagawa Y, Meyer JS, Tanahashi N, Rogers RL, Tachibana H, Kandula P, Dowell RE, Mortel KF (1985) Cerebral blood flow and brain atrophy correlated by Xenon contrast CT scanning. Comput Radiol 9:331–340

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kety SS (1951) The theory and applications of the exchange of inert gas at the lungs and tissues. Pharmacol Rev 3:1–41

    Google Scholar 

  17. Tomita M, Gotoh F (1981) Local cerebral blood flow values as estimated with diffusible tracers: Validity of assumptions in normal and ischemic tissue. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1: 403–411

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rottenberg DA, Lu HC, Kearfott KJ (1982) The in vivo autoradiographic measurement of regional cerebral blood flow using stable Xenon and computerized tomography: The effect of tissue heterogeneity and computerized tomography noise. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2:173–178

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gur D, Shabason L, Wolfson SK Jr, Yonas H, Good WF (1983) Measurement of local cerebral blood flow by Xenonenhanced computerized tomography imaging: A critique of an error assessment. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 3:133–135

    Google Scholar 

  20. Herscovitch P, Raichle ME (1983) Effect of tissue heterogeneity on the measurement of cerebral blood flow with equilibrium C15O2 inhalation technique. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 3:407–415

    Google Scholar 

  21. Eichling J (1979) Noninvasive methods of measuring regional cerebral blood flow. In: Price TR, Nelson E (eds) Cerebrovascular diseases: Eleventh Princeton conference. Raven, New York, pp 51–56

    Google Scholar 

  22. Cann CE (1987) Quantitative computed tomography for bone mineral analysis: Technical considerations. In: Genant HK (ed) Osteoporosis update 1987. Radiology Research and Edueation Foundation, San Francisco, pp 131–144

    Google Scholar 

  23. Oravez WT, Meyer JS, Imai A, Shinohara T, Timpe G, Deville T, Suess C (1986) Technical optimization for determining local cerebral blood flow using dynamic quantitative CT and Xe5/O2 (g) contrast material. Radiology 161 (P):345

    Google Scholar 

  24. Obrist WD, Thomspson HK Jr, King CH Wang HS (1967) Determination of regional cerebral blood flow by inhalation of 133-Xenon. Circ Res 20:124–135

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kelcz F, Hilal SK, Hartwell P, Joseph PM (1978) Computed tomographic measurement of the Xenon brain-blood partition coefficient and implication for regional cerebral blood flow: A preliminary report. Radiology 127:385–392

    Google Scholar 

  26. Marquardt DW (1963) An algorithm for least-squares estimation of non-linear parameters. J Soc Indust Appl Math 11: 431–441

    Google Scholar 

  27. Rogers RL, Meyer JS, Shaw TG, Mortel KF, Hardenberg JP, Zaid RR (1983) Cigarette smoking decreases cerebral blood flow suggesting increased risk for stroke. JAMA 250: 2796–2800

    Google Scholar 

  28. Meyer JS, Judd BW, Tawaklna T, Rogers RL, Mortel KF (1986) Improved cognition after control of risk factors for multi-infarct dementia. JAMA 265:2203–2209

    Google Scholar 

  29. Kearfott KJ, Lu HC, Rottenberg DA, Deck MDF (1984) The effects of CT drift on Xenon/CT measurement of regional cerebral blood flow. Med Phys 11:686–689

    Google Scholar 

  30. Good WF, Gur D (1987) The effect of computed tomography noise and tissue heterogeneity on cerebral blood flow determination by Xenon-enhanced computed tomography. Med Phys 14:557–561

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lenzi GL, Frackowiak RSJ, Jones T, Heather JD, Lammertsma AA, Rhodes CG, Pozzilli C (1981) CMRO2 and CBF by the oxygen-15 inhalation technique: Results in normal volunteers and cere rovascular patients. Eur Neurol 20:285–290

    Google Scholar 

  32. Tachibana H, Meyer JS, Okayasu H, Kandula P (1984) Changing topographic patterns of human cerebral blood flow with age measured by Xenon CT. AJNR 5:139–146

    Google Scholar 

  33. Veall N, Mallett BL (1965) The partition of trace amounts of Xenon between human blood and brain tissues at 37°C. Phys Med Biol 10:375–380b

    Google Scholar 

  34. Drayer BP, Gur D, Yonas H, Wolfson SK Jr, Cook EE (1980) Abnormality of the Xenon brain: blood partition coefficient and blood flow in cerebral infarction: An in vivo assessment using transmission computed tomography. Radiology 135: 349–354

    Google Scholar 

  35. Huebner U, Schuier F, Haertel C, Hartmann A, Dettmers C (1987) In vivo determination of brain-blood partition coefficient of Xenon in the monkey. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 7 [Suppl 1]: S548

  36. Duara R (1985) Brain region localization in positron emission tomographic images. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 5:343–344

    Google Scholar 

  37. Duara R, Grady C, Haxby J, Ingvar D, Sokoloff L, Margolin RA, Manning RG, Cutler NR, Rapoport SI (1984) Human brain glucose utilization and cognitive function in relation to age. Ann Neurol 16:702–713

    Google Scholar 

  38. Tachibana H, Meyer JS, Rose JE, Kandula P (1984) Local cerebral blood flow and partition coefficients measured in cerebral astrocytomas of different grades of malignancy. Surg Neurol 21:125–131

    Google Scholar 

  39. herscovitch P, Raichle ME (1985) What is the correct value for the brain-blood partition coefficient for water? J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 5:65–69

    Google Scholar 

  40. Jones SC, Greenberg JH, Reivich M (1982) Error analysis for the determination of cerebral blood flow with the continuous inhalation of 15O-labeled carbon dioxide and positron emission tomography. J Comput Assist Tomogr 6:116–124

    Google Scholar 

  41. Winkler S, Turski P (1985) Potential hazards of Xenon inhalation. AJNR 6:974–975

    Google Scholar 

  42. Obrist WD, Jaggi JL, Harel D, Smith DS (1985) Effect of stable Xenon inhalation on human CBF. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 5 [Suppl 1]:S557-S558

    Google Scholar 

  43. Fatouros PP, Kishore PRS, Hall JA Jr, Wist AO, Dewitt DS, Marmarou A, Keenan R, Kontos H (1985) Comparison of improved stable Xenon/CT method for cerebral blood flow measurements with radiolabeled microsphere techniques. Radiology 157 (P):334

    Google Scholar 

  44. Hellman RS, Collier BD, Tikofsky RS, Kilgore DP, Daniels DL, Haughton VM, Walsh PR, Cusick JF, Saxena VK, Palmer DW, Isitman AT (1986) Comparison of single-photon emission computed tomography with [123I] iodoamphetamine and Xenon-enhanced computed tomography for assessing regional cerebral blood flow. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 6: 747–755

    Google Scholar 

  45. Wozney P, Yonas H, Latchaw RE, Gur D, Good W (1985) Central hermination revealed by focal decrease in blood flow without elevation of intracranial pressure: A case report. Neurosurgery 17:641–644

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cerebral Blood Flow Laboratory, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    J. S. Meyer, T. Shinohara, A. Imai & M. Kobari

  2. the Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    J. S. Meyer, T. Shinohara & A. Imai

  3. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, Sagamihara-City, Kanagawa, Japan

    F. Sakai & T. Hata

  4. CT Research and Development, Siemens Medical Systems, Inc., Iselin, New Jersey, USA

    W. T. Oravez

  5. Diversified Diagnostic Products, Inc., Houston, Texas, USA

    G. M. Timpe & T. Deville

  6. Department of Radiology, Northeast Medical Center Hospital, Humble, Texas, USA

    M. Kobari & E. Solomon

Authors
  1. J. S. Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Shinohara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Imai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Kobari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Sakai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. T. Hata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. W. T. Oravez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. G. M. Timpe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. T. Deville
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. E. Solomon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meyer, J.S., Shinohara, T., Imai, A. et al. Imaging local cerebral blood flow by Xenon-enhanced computed tomography — Technical optimization procedures. Neuroradiology 30, 283–292 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328177

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328177

Key words

Search

Navigation