Author(s)

Ronnie Wirestam, Christian Engvall, Erik Ryding, Stig Holtas, Freddy Stahlberg, Peter Reinstrup

Department of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Care, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden;.

Global cerebral perfusion parameters were measured using dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) in eight healthy volunteers examined during normal breathing and spontaneous hyperventilation. DSC-MRI-based cerebral blood flow (CBF) de-creased during hyperventilation in all volun-teers (average decrease 29%), and the corre-sponding global CBF estimates were 73±19ml/ (min100g) during normal breathing and 52± 7.9ml/(min100g) during hyperventilation (mean ±SD, n=8). Furthermore, the hypocapnic condi-tions induced by hyperventilation resulted in a prolongation of the global mean transit time (MTT) by on average 14%. The observed CBF estimates appeared to be systematically over-estimated, in accordance with previously pub-lished DSC-MRI results, but reduced to more reasonable levels when a previously retrieved calibration factor was applied.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Perfusion; Cerebral Blood Flow; Mean Transit Time; Hypocapnia

Wirestam, R. , Engvall, C. , Ryding, E. , Holtas, S. , Stahlberg, F. and Reinstrup, P. (2009) Changes in cerebral perfusion detected by dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging: normal volunteers examined during normal breathing and hyperventilation. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 2, 210-215. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2009.24034.