The natural history of misery perfusion in positron emission tomography

This report reviews the natural courses of misery perfusion in 5 patients with atherosclerotic cerebrovascular occlusion diseases. Cases 1 showed partial improvement and Case 2 showed deterioration of misery perfusion on positron emission tomography (PET). These 2 patients did not show any clinical changes during the follow-up periods. Case 3 showed remarkable improvement of misery perfusion during the 2-year follow-ups, but his neurological condition worsened. The EC-IC bypass improved both in PET and clinical symptoms. Case 4 had a stroke at the region of misery perfusion in PET. Case 5 had a lacunar infarction 2 years after the EC-IC bypass on the opposite side. PET taken one month before the stroke did not show any signs of hypoperfusion in the area of the lacunar infarction. Misery perfusion seems not to be a static but a dynamic condition that can develop into cerebral infarction by some hemodynamic stresses. Cerebral cortical or lobar infarction may occur in the region of severe misery perfusion. EC-IC bypass may prevent impending infarction of the cerebral cortex by improving the regional cerebral blood flow. However, EC-CI bypass will not prevent the lacunar infarction of the basal ganglia or internal capsule. (author)