Regional cerebral oxygen utilization, blood flow, and blood volume in benign intracranial hypertension studied by positron emission tomography.

Using PET, we measured regional cerebral oxygen utilization, oxygen extraction, blood flow, and blood volume in five patients with benign intracranial hypertension. No significant differences in regional cerebral function were found between the patients and 15 age-matched normal controls. Cerebral decompression with a lumboperitoneal shunt produced little change in regional cerebral function in one patient studied serially. The raised CSF pressure of benign intracranial hypertension is therefore not associated with any significant deterioration in cerebral oxygen metabolism or hemodynamics.