Blood flow differences between leuko-araiosis with and without lacunar infarction.

BACKGROUND The present study was designed to find the differences in regional cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity between leuko-araiosis with and without lacunar infarction. METHODS Fifteen cases of leuko-araiosis with lacunar infarction, 15 cases of leuko-araiosis without lacunar infarction and 15 age-matched controls in which leuko-araiosis and cerebrovascular diseases are absent (control group) were studied. The regional cerebral blood flow was measured using the stable xenon computed tomography method before and 20 minutes after intravenous injection of 17 mg/kg acetazolamide. RESULTS The blood flows in the leuko-araiosis area and the lacunar area were significantly lower than the blood flow in the cerebral white matter. The blood flows in the cerebral cortex and the cerebral white matter were significantly lower in the leuko-araiosis with lacunar infarction group than in the leuko-araiosis without lacunar infarction group and the control group. The cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity in the leuko-araiosis area and the lacunar area was significantly lower than that in the cerebral white matter. The cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity in the cerebral cortex and the cerebral white matter was significantly lower in the leuko-araiosis with lacunar infarction group than in the leuko-araiosis without lacunar infarction group and the control group. CONCLUSIONS The degree of arteriolosclerosis is considered to be more severe and the rate of association of hypertension was higher in leuko-araiosis with lacunar infarction than in leuko-araiosis without lacunar infarction.