Patterns of regional cerebral blood flow in patients with occlusive or stenotic lesions of both the internal carotid and vertebrobasilar arteries.

For the study of cerebral hemodynamics in patients with multiple occlusive or stenotic lesions of the internal carotid artery (lCA) and vertebral/basilar artery (VA/BA), six male patients (mean aged 62.5 years) were examined by regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF; Fg: intravenous bolus injection of Xe 133). The highest rCBF(73.3 ± l6.l(SD)m2/100g/min) was observed in two patients with stenosis of the VA and biiaterallCAs and the lowest rCBF(47.l ± 5.9), in patients with severe stenosis of the BA including unilateral occlusion or stenosis of the VA and ICA. Intermediate rCBF (56.1 ± 10.0) was found in patients with occlusion of the VA and occlusion or stenosis of the bilateral ICAs. Among them lesions without VA-occlusion and BA-stenosis were important in keeping rCBF high.