Variant Flow Patterns in Radionuclide Cerebral Imaging Performed for Brain Death

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Radionuclide cerebral imaging (RCI) is a commonly used technique for detection of intracranial blood flow in patients with clinically suspected brain death. In 115 studies performed on 95 patients in a 6 yr period at the Geisinger Medical Center [Pennsylvania, USA], a number of variant flow patterns were observed. Although all were described previously, there was no review of these patterns on studies performed for brain death. The significance of normal blood flow, absent blood flow, isolated superior sagittal sinus activity, luxury perfusion, hypoperfusion, hemiperfusion and jugular venous reflux is discussed. Any demonstrable intracranial blood pool activity is presently considered to counter a diagnosis of brain death, except that jugular reflux renders an examination uninterpretable. Technique must be top quality but, even so, RCI cannot evaluate basilar brain flow. RCI is a valuable adjunct in helping to establish the clinical diagnosis of brain death.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: