Abnormalities of interictal cerebral perfusion in classic but not common migraine

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured as gray matter blood flow using the 133Xe inhalation technique in 50 pain-free headache patients: Eight patients having classic migraine with normal computed tomograms were matched to patients having common migraine and to normal controls. Interictal rCBF was determined at least 6 days after the last migraine attack and more than 24 hours before the next one. There were no between-group differences for age, PCO2, mean hemispheric blood flow, interindividual and intraindividual variabilities, hyperfrontality, or rCBF symmetry. However, when subjects were classified as to overall abnormal perfusion, a significant number (n = 4, p less than 0.04) of patients with classic migraine had rCBF abnormalities, whereas only one such patient was seen in the group with common migraine. Patients with classic migraine had abnormal mean hemispheric blood flows or disturbed intrahemispheric rCBF patterns. Oligemic and hyperemic regions topographically corresponded to the clinical symptoms in one patient. We conclude that during migraine attacks and interictally there is an instability of rCBF control in patients with classic but not common migraine.