Blood flow control and positron emission tomography (PET) of the brain

Positron emission tomography enables us to measure, in-vivo, regional cerebral blood flow and metabolism. Recently developed method of H2 15O bolus i.v. injection in our laboratory made it possible to quantitate regional cerebrovascular response rate from stimuli. High resolution tomographic images of regional cerebral blood flow, metabolism and regional brain activation by verbal stimulation are presented by using those methods. Features of cerebral circulation and metabolism on the control of regional cerebral blood flow are briefly described.