Total Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygen Consumption Using the Dye-Dilution Method

Abstract

ENEWED interest in cerebrovascular insufficiency has been brought about by a measure of success in the surgical t rea tment of certain forms of associated arteriosclerosis; however, relationships between cerebral ischenfia and demonstrable arterial pathology have not been elucidated by assessment of the functional s tatus of the circulation with available methods. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) so far reported in patients suffering from cerebrovascular insufficiency, utilizing the widely accepted inert-gas technique, have, in general, shown aberrations from normal only when hypotension was present or mentat ion was reduced. 1,2,s,lI Serial studies, using the Fick principle for determination of cerebral blood flow, carried out during therapeutic carotid ligation, detected a significant decrease in cerebral blood flow only when severe neurological deficit and altered state of consciousness resulted. 9 I t is not surprising tha t the information obtained may be limited in the