Changes in cerebral blood flow estimated after stellate ganglion block by single photon emission computed tomography

The validity of the hypothesis that the cerebral vasculature is under the control of sympathetic innervation was investigated using brain scintigraphy imaging before and after stellate ganglion block (SGB). The experiment with HM-PAO showed a definite increase in the blood flow of the brain on the block side on both by the dynamic images and the SPECT images. The tympanic temperature (Tty) of the block side decreased significantly after SGB, compared to the unblock side in this study, as had been reported before. This change in Tty coinsided with the increase in cerebral blood flow as mentioned above. This study demonstrated that the cerebral vasculature is under the control of sympathetic innervation, the pathway of which is relayed and/or passes through the stellate ganglion. We conclude that SGB increases intracerebral blood flow and can also exert secondary effects systemically due to CNS blood flow changes as have been previously reported.