K. Schmidtke et al., CEREBRAL PERFUSION DURING TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA - FINDINGS WITH HMPAO SPECT, The Journal of nuclear medicine, 39(1), 1998, pp. 155-159
The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of regional cereb
ral blood flow changes associated with transient global amnesia (TGA).
Methods: HMPAO SPECT was performed in six consecutive patients during
the acute phase of TGA. A follow-up SPECT was performed 3-20 wk later
in four of the six patients. Semiquantitative analysis of 14 regions
of interest, including the basal ganglia and the basal section of the
temporal lobes, was performed by comparing patient data with control d
ata obtained from a matched group of healthy subjects. Results: During
TGA, unilateral or bilateral hypoperfusion of the temporo-basal regio
n was observed in four patients. Variable hypoperfusion of further cor
tical areas was observed in five patients. Two patients who exhibited
the most marked cortical hypoperfusion also showed striatal and thalam
ic hypoperfusion. These changes were normalized in the control studies
obtained in four patients. Conclusion: It remains unclear whether hyp
operfusion during TGA represents a primary feature or a sequel of regi
onal brain hypometabolism. Because hypoperfusion is not confined to th
e temporo-basal region or to the territory of the posterior cerebral a
rtery, it is suggested that the origin of TGA-related changes lies at
the level of subcortical structures that project diffusely to the cere
bral cortex.