Stable Xenon CT/CBF Imaging: Laboratory and Clinical Experience

Since Winkler in 1977 determined that the radiodensity of xenon could be used for image enhancement during transmission computerized tomography44, a number of groups have explored the possibility of using stable xenon as a tracer of cerebral blood flow (CBF). In 1978, Kelcz and coworkers25 defined the CT enhancement characteristics of stable xenon at the same time that Drayer, et al.6 reported early experiments with the direct measurement of CBF. Since that time, work has continued in the search to determine the best route by which to characterize the time course of arterial and tisssue enhancement, as well as calculate CBF using this new technique.