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Xenon Computed Tomography Measuring Cerebral Blood Flow in the Determination of Brain Death in Children Ann Neurol 25:539-546, Ashwal,S.,et al, 1989 See this aricle in Pubmed Article Abstract Local cerebral blood flow was measured using stable xenon computed tomography in 21 children,10 of whom were clinically brain dead and had electrocerebral silence as determined by electroencephalography. Radioisotopic brain scanning in 9 patients showed no visible cerebral activity in all patients and minimal residual sagittal sinus activity in 4.In this population,mean cerebral blood flow as measured by xenon computed tomography 1.3 plus or minus 1.6 ml/min/100 gm.Respiratory support was discontinued in 8 patients,and 2 patients had cardiac arrest. Eleven profoundly comatose children who did not meet all clinical criteria for brain death and who had markedly suppressed but not isoelectric electroencephalograms had an average cerebral blood flow of 33.5 plus or minus 16.3 ml/min/100 gm as determined by xenon computed tomography.Flows in this group ranged from 11.8 plus or minus 4.1 to 62.3 plus or minus 1.9 ml/min/100 gm.There was no difference in cerebral blood flow in those children who survived(30.4 plus or minus 16.3 ml/min/100 gm;n=7)compared with those who died acutely(38.3 plus or minus 14.3 ml/min/100 gm;n=4).Two patients who survived had average total flows of only 11.8 and 12.1 ml/ min/100 gm.Our findings suggest that in infants and children older than 1 month,(1)cerebral blood flow below approximately 10 ml/min/100 gm is consistent with clinical brain death,(2)cerebral blood flow of less than 5 ml/min/10 gm is consistent with no flow as demonstrated by radionuclide techniques,and(3)flow of more than 10 to 15 ml/min/100 gm is associated with the potential for survival.

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(click to filter results - removes previous filter) CAT scan CAT scan,abnormal CAT scan,xenon-enhanced cerebral blood flow cerebral death cerebral death,infants and children children

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