THE PERFUSION FRACTION IN VOLUNTEERS AND IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE

The fractional volume of capillary blood, i.e. the perfusion fraction f, was measured with the aid of an echo-planar imaging protocol origin ally designed for the measurement of water diffusion. In healthy volun teers, reasonable f values were obtained. In patients with cerebral is chaemic stroke, a marked decrease in the f value was seen ill the infa rcted region as compared with corresponding values in the contralatera l hemisphere. We suggest that perfusion-fraction measurements may add to the diagnostic value of water-mobility examinations in patients wit h ischaemic disease.