CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW IMAGING IN PEDIATRICS - A REVIEW

The ability to study regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) is available in many institutions, especially with the spread of multi-headed gamma cameras. The use of this technique in paediatrics requires special at tention to detail in the manner of data acquisition and handling the c hild. The interpretation of the rCBF study in a child requires knowled ge of normal brain maturation. The major clinical use in paediatrics i s epilepsy because of the advances in surgery and the frequency of com plex partial seizures. Other indications in paediatric neurology inclu de brain death, acute neurological loss including stroke, language dis orders, cerebral palsy, hypertension due to renovascular disease, trau matic brain injury and migraine. There are paediatric psychological co nditions in which rCBF assessment has been undertaken, including anore xia nervosa, autism, Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) and attentio n deficit disorder-hyperactivity (ADHD). This article attempts to revi ew all aspects of rCBF studies in paediatrics.