Regional cerebral blood flow and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging findings in diaschisis from stroke.

Background And Purpose: This study evaluated blood flow and metabolite changes in cerebral diaschisis from internal capsule region infarction using regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). We hypothesized that complementary measures of diaschisis effects in white matter (characterized by 1H MRSI) and gray matter (characterized by changes in rCBF) can be measured and exhibit parallel changes.

Methods: Five stroke patients and 16 normal controls underwent Tc-99m hexamethylpropyleneamine-oxime brain SPECT and 1H MRSI at 4.

A case of spinal cord injury-related pain with baseline rCBF brain SPECT imaging and beneficial response to gabapentin.

Central pain following spinal cord injury is poorly understood, and is often resistant to conventional pain therapy regimens. We describe an individual with paraplegia who for many years experienced rapidly fluctuating, severe, unilateral pain below the level of his lesion. Prior to the initiation of pharmacological treatment, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured during PAIN and NON-PAIN states using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).