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Background and Purpose: The ability to identify patients at increased risk for stroke from cerebral hemodynamic ischemia may help guide treatment planning. We tested the correlation between regional cerebrovascular reserve (rCVR) on acetazolamide-challenged single-photon emission CT (SPECT) brain scans and intracranial collateral pathways as well as extra- or intracranial (EC-IC) arterial stenosis on cerebral angiography., Methods: A retrospective analysis of 27 patients who underwent cerebral angiography and acetazolamide-challenged SPECT brain imaging was performed. With cerebral angiography, the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral artery (ACA, MCA, PCA) territories were evaluated for patterns of flow, including the ipsilateral carotid or basilar arteries, the circle of Willis collaterals, the EC-IC collaterals, and the leptomeningeal collaterals. With acetazolamide-challenged SPECT, the ACA, MCA, and PCA territories were classified as either showing or not showing evidence of decreased rCVR. Statistical significance was determined by the chi(2) test., Results: Patients with decreased rCVR had significantly greater dependence on either the EC-IC or leptomeningeal collaterals (42%) than did patients without decreased rCVR (7%). Similarly, the cerebral hemispheres with decreased rCVR showed a higher prevalence of 70% or greater stenosis or occlusion of the ipsilateral EC-IC arteries in the anterior circulation (74%) than did hemispheres with no evidence of decreased rCVR (16%), and this difference was also statistically significant., Conclusion: Acetazolamide-challenged SPECT brain scanning provides additional information regarding rCVR that is not reliably provided by cerebral angiography.

This study evaluates the effect of blood volume and hematocrit changes on brain tissue during temporary global ischemia. Normal saline was administered intravenously to 55 gerbils to achieve hypo-, normo-, and hypervolemic hemodilution and uniform 30% hematocrit reduction. Each group had unilateral carotid artery ligation and temporary (20 minute) contralateral carotid occlusion. After ten days or death, brains were harvested, preserved in formalin, sectioned in a manner which provided adequate samples of both cortex and hippocampus, and stained with H&E and luxol fast blue. They were then examined and staged microscopically for white and gray matter infarction, edema, and neuronal injury and loss. Histologic studies were performed in a randomized and blinded manner and were classified by one of four categories: normal, minimal, moderate, and severe changes. Three of ten (30%) controls survived ten days but had severe neuronal loss, minimal cerebral edema and a minimal to moderate number of white matter strokes. Survival was best in animals treated with hypovolemic hemodilution (43%). Other rates were: normovolemic (33%), controls (30%), and hypervolemic (8.3%). The degree of brain tissue damage was markedly less in the normovolemic group. In this model, normovolemic hemodilution followed by hypovolemic hemodilution offered the best overall cerebral protection during global ischemia.