Measurement of cerebral blood flow with 133Xe inhalation and dynamic single photon emission computer tomography. Normal values.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was studied by 133Xe inhalation tomography in 25 healthy subjects. Mean age was 41 years and range 23-66 years. Mean hemispheric CBF at rest was 59.8 ml/100 g/min, and cerebellar flow 60.8 ml/100 g/min. This difference was not statistically significant. The distribution of CBF values was skewed and approximated a log normal distribution. Estimated lower and upper normal reference range limits calculated as mean (log) +/- 2 S.D. (log) were 47-74 ml/100 g/min. Women had approximately 5 ml/100 g/min higher CBF values than men. This difference corresponded to the difference in hematocrit. Neither in men nor in women was there any tendency to age dependent reduction or increase in flow. In both sexes hemispheric regional CBF (rCBF) was asymmetric with higher flow values in the right cerebral hemisphere; particularly in the anterior distribution territory of the middle cerebral artery. In this region the maximum individual flow difference was 8 ml/100 g/min and the average difference 3.5 +/- 2.6 ml/100 g/min. Emotional activation as a consequence of the study conditions is assumed to be the cause of this observed asymmetry. Cerebellar flow was not assymetric. No significant difference in cerebellar or hemispheric CBF was found when a second study followed the first by 3-15 months. PCO2 correction of flow improved the reproducibility. The standard deviation of the flow difference between test/retest measurements was 5 ml/100 g/min. After 1 g acetazolamide given intravenously the mean increase in hemispheric CBF was 15.7 +/- 5.1 ml/100 g/min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)