Cerebral blood flow in Binswanger's disease

Eight patients with a clinical diagnosis of Binswanger's disease (BD) were evaluated with I-123 IMP SPECT. The SPECT findings were compared with those in 7 other patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 9 normal subjects. The ratios of I-123 IMP in the temporal cortex, thalamus, and basal ganglia to that in the cerebellum were lower in the BD group than the normal group. The BD group had a higher ratio of the occipital cortex/the cerebellum than the control group, suggesting a decreased blood flow in the cerebellum. When I-123 IMP ratio in various areas to that in the occipital cortex was examined, both the BD and AD groups seemed to have a decreased blood flow over the whole cerebrum. The BD group had a lower I-123 IMP uptake in the thalamus and basal ganglia, and the AD group had it in the parietal cortex, relative to the occipital cortex. Blood flow patterns for BD were found to be different from those for AD. This suggests the difference in areas responsible for etiology between BD and AD. (N.K.)