Cerebral perfusion deficits in dysbaric illness.
Decompression sickness (DCS) is usually categorised as type I (mild; peripheral pain, non-neurological) or type II (serious; neurological). Type II is regarded as predominantly a spinal cord disease with infrequent cerebral involvement. Cerebral perfusion was studied by injection of 99Tcm-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime and single photon emission tomography in 28 divers with confirmed incidents of DCS and cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE). Cerebral perfusion deficits were present in all 23 cases of type II DCS and in all 4 cases of CAGE. No deficits were present in the single case of type I DCS. Type II DCS should be recognised as a diffuse, multifocal, central nervous system disease.
Adkisson
G H
GH
Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke, Hants.
Macleod
M A
MA
Hodgson
M
M
Sykes
J J
JJ
Smith
F
F
Strack
C
C
Torok
Z
Z
Pearson
R R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D013997:Time Factors; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime