Approaches to brain stress testing: BOLD magnetic resonance imaging with computer-controlled delivery of carbon dioxide.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An impaired vascular response in the brain regionally may indicate reduced vascular reserve and vulnerability to ischemic injury. Changing the carbon dioxide (CO(2)) tension in arterial blood is commonly used as a cerebral vasoactive stimulus to assess the cerebral vascular response, changing cerebral blood flow (CBF) by up to 5-11 percent/mmHg in normal adults. Here we describe two approaches to generating the CO(2) challenge using a computer-controlled gas blender to administer: i) a square wave change in CO(2) and, ii) a ramp stimulus, consisting of a continuously graded change in CO(2) over a range. Responses were assessed regionally by blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methodology/principal findings

We studied 8 patients wi

SUBMITTER: Mutch WA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3489910 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature