Perfusion Imaging in Healthy Human Aging

Healthy aging is the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age. For brain diseases, such as cognitive decline and stroke, age is one of the most important risk factors. Increasing evidence shows that functional impairment of the cerebral microvasculature and perfusion plays a critical role in these various age-related medical conditions. In this chapter, we will discuss cerebral perfusion, the effect of aging upon cerebral perfusion, and the potential mechanisms involved in age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction. Second, we will discuss the clinical application of positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging for evaluation cerebral perfusion and age-related changes.