1995 Volume 45 Issue 6 Pages 489-502
Chronic cerebral circulatory insufficiency (CCCI) is a recently proposed clinical entity characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, a feeling of heavy-headedness or vague numbness without any neurological signs or organic vascular lesions on CT. In order to elucidate its pathogenesis, ultrasonic quantitative blood flow measurement system, positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI were employed to study three groups of subjects : 60 subjects with CCCI (group A), 44 subjects with risk factors for cerebrovascular disease but without neurological abnormalities (group B), and 40 normal healthy volunteers (group C).
The results are summarized as follows :
1) Mean common carotid blood flow decreased with age in all groups. Common carotid blood flow was lowest in group A and second lowest in group B in every decade of patient age.
2) PET study revealed that CBF and CMRO2 in all regions examined were significantly lower in group A than in group C.
3) The incidence of MR signal abnormalities in the white matter increased with age. Group A had the highest incidence, and group C had the lowest.
4) Reduction in mean common carotid blood flow and cerebral blood flow was associated with increasing incidence and severity of MR signal abnormalities.
These findings indicate that CCCI is a pathologic condition closely related to diffuse cerebral low perfusion resulting from cerebral arteriosclerosis. The symptoms seen in this condition, which are apt to be taken lightly, may warn of impending ischemic stroke.
