title: Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography in brain death.
abstract: Confirmatory tests for the diagnosis of brain death in addition to clinical findings may shorten observation time required in some countries and may add certainty to the diagnosis under specific circumstances. The practicability of Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography to confirm cerebral circulatory arrest was assessed after the diagnosis of brain death in 15 patients using a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. In all 15 patients extracranial blood flow distal to the external carotid arteries was undisturbed. In 14 patients no contrast medium was noted within intracerebral vessels above the proximal level of the intracerebral arteries. In one patient more distal segments of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries (A3 and M3) were filled with contrast medium. Gadolinium-enhanced MRA may be considered conclusive evidence of cerebral circulatory arrest, when major intracranial vessels fail to fill with contrast medium while extracranial vessels show normal blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luchtmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroradiology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Beuing
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroradiology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skalej
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kohl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroradiology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serowy
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernarding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Firsching
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001926:Brain Death / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium