The Effects of Ultrasound Stimulation on Local Cerebral Blood Flow

Abstract

The present study was designed to examine the effect of ultrasound application to the middle cerebral artery (MCA) using transcranial Doppler (TCD) on regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in ten normal human subjects. We used 99mTc-HMPAO continuous infusion employing the dynamic SPECT method for chronological measurement of regional CBF 10 successive SPECTs in 20 minutes at 2-minute intervals). From the various laminagrams obtained, we divided the regions of interest into ipsilateral cerebral cortices and basal ganglia, and observed the chronological changes in blood flow as well as the changes caused by 2-MHz pulse Doppler ultrasound stimulation of the MCA as a time-activity curve (TAC). ¶Effective increases of rCBF were observed in the temporal lobe (8% increase) and cerebral basal ganglia (12% increase). It was concluded that 2-MHz pulse Doppler ultrasound stimulation of the MCA increased the local cerebral blood flow. These findings indicate the potential usefulness of this approach not only for measurement but also for future therapy.