Differences in regional cerebral blood flow in two types of leuko-araiosis.

Cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity were investigated in patients with periventricular hyperintensity and in patients with leuko-araiosis in centrum semiovale. Fifteen patients with periventricular hyperintensity, 15 patients with leuko-araiosis in centrum semiovale and 15 age-matched controls without leuko-araiosis were studied. The regional cerebral blood flow was measured using the stable xenon CT method before and 20 min after intravenous injection of 17 mg/kg acetazolamide. The blood flow and the cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity in the area of leuko-araiosis were significantly lower in the periventricular hyperintensity group and the leuko-araiosis in centrum semiovale group than the control group. The blood flow in the cerebral cortex was significantly lower in the leuko-araiosis in centrum semiovale group than in the periventricular hyperintensity group and the control group. The cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity in the cerebral cortex did not show any significant difference among the three groups. The blood flow in the cerebral cortex was decreased in patients with leuko-araiosis in centrum semiovale but the cerebrovascular acetazolamide reactivity in the cerebral cortex was normal in patients with leuko-araiosis.