Correlation of cerebrovascular reserve assessed by acetazolamide-stress SPECT with collaterals on arterial spin-labeling MRI in patients with carotid occlusive disease

We evaluated the correlation between cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) on acetazolamide-stress single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scans and collaterals on arterial spin-labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis.With acetazolamide stress SPECT, the 21/74 (28%) patients showed evidence of decreased CVR. In 7/53 (13%) of the normal CVR group and 10/21 (48%) of the reduced CVR from the SPECT results, ASL showed ATA in ipsilateral to the stenosis. Significant relationship was observed between reduced CVR group and ATA showing group in ICA stenosis patients on ASL brain perfusion (p=0.004).