SERIAL BRAIN SCANNING WITH RADIOACTIVE XENON AND SCINTILLATION CAMERA

Using a gamma ray scintillation camera, serial scintiphotography of the brain was obtained during and after intracarotid injection of Xe¹³³ dissolved in saline. The perfusion pattern of 3 major cerebral arteries was visualized and its abnormality was detected but the circulation of the second-order branch could not be assessed.

Pathologic radioxenon brain scans were divided into 2 types. In the lesion with a rich vascularity and high blood flow, the initial scintiphotograph during the injection period demonstrated high radioactivity in the focus which disappeared rapidly only to leave the cold focus in the later scintiphotographs. Occasionally, the distribution of radioactivity appeared homogeneous in the initial period, but later the pathologic focus rapidly became cold.

In the lesion which was poor in blood pool and blood flow, the focus was cold in the initial scintiphotograph and the washout was invariably slow.

The technique does not seem to replace other neuroradiologic diagnostic methods; however, it often provides a useful visual image of the avascular lesion, particularly when angiography or conventional brain scanning fails to reveal the focus.

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