A narrowing of the blood vessels to the brain, for example through arteriosclerosis, can impair its blood flow. In this case, there is a considerably increased risk of suffering from a stroke. The localised blood-flow conditions can be evaluated precisely at rest and after pharmacological stress using brain scintigraphy. Other applications are to provide evidence of epileptic focuses and neurodegenerative diseases.
After a short case history, you will stay in a darkened room to relax for 15 minutes. After the intravenous administration of a radioactive substance, and after a waiting time of 20 minutes, an image will be produced, which takes 30 minutes. To evaluate cerebral blood flow reserve, you will be given a vasodilator drug before the examination.
Please bring your list of medicines with you. It is not necessary for you to have an empty stomach.
The total duration of the examination is approximately two hours.
The exposure to radiation is 2 mSv. In comparison, natural exposure to radiation in Austria is around 2.4 to 16 mSv per year.