title: CBF determination in brain stem and cerebellar hemispheres.
abstract: CBF of brain stem and cerebellar hemispheres is of particular significance in different cranial diseases and can be determined by PET, SPECT and XenonCT. We have used XenonCT CBF method to study 78 patients with posterior fossa tumors or cerebrovascular disorders. A retrospective analysis of the first 56 CBF studies showed that bone artifacts were the most common cause of study failure. Based on these experiences we have developed a protocol to study brain stem and cerebellar blood flow. Because bone artifacts significantly degrade flow information, we obtained images over the petrous bone with a CT gantry angle of approximately 25 degrees to the orbitomeatal line. The failure rate could be reduced from 41% to 13% with this study protocol. Brain stem blood flow determination may help to clarify the prognosis in head trauma patients and show more physiological details in tumors of the posterior fossa. The phenomenon of crossed cerebellar diaschisis in cerebral insults or neoplasms can be investigated by XenonCT easily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Hannover-Nordstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mirzai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samii
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014978:Xenon
chemical_list: D014978:Xenon