Brain perfusion part 1: regulation mechanisms and measurements of brain perfusion

Abstract

Diagnostic procedures aimed at in vivo evaluation of brain perfusion as an indirect measure of brain function are becoming available for use in small animal medicine, though in contrast with human medicine, these procedures frequently require anesthesia. Besides the direct influence of anesthetics on cerebral perfusion, anesthesia can also cause changes in blood pressure and in arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen tensions. All these parameters have an influence on cerebral perfusion, so it is crucial to understand cerebral blood supply and its regulation when measuring cerebral blood flow. The requirements of anesthesia when using the different diagnostic techniques, together with the technical properties of these techniques, are highlighted in this paper.