Reduced Hypoxic Tissue and Cognitive Improvement after Revascularization Surgery for Chronic Cerebral Ischemia

Abstract

Hypoxic but viable neural tissue is seen on 1-(2->sup<18>/sup sup<18>/sup bold<>italic /italic<>/bold< We used brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and >sup<18>/sup bold<>italic /italic<>/bold< Eighteen patients with abnormally reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the affected cerebral hemispheres on preoperative brain perfusion SPECT -underwent CEA. They underwent >sup<18>/sup bold<>italic /italic<>/bold< The CBF ratio (>italic /italic< = 0.0006) and >sup<18>/sup italic /italic< = 0.0084) were significantly increased and reduced, respectively, after surgery compared to the corresponding ratios before surgery. The difference in the >sup<18>/sup italic /italic< = -0.695; >italic /italic< = 0.0009). The difference in the >sup<18>/sup italic /italic< = 0.0007). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the difference in the >sup<18>/sup italic /italic< = 0.0248). >bold<>italic /italic<>/bold< Hypoxic tissue is reduced following the restoration of cerebral perfusion with revascularization surgery in patients with severe atherosclerotic stenosis of the cervical ICA. The reduction in hypoxic tissue is associated with cognitive improvement in such patients.