The aim of the study was to evaluate the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) occurring interictally in children with migraine using SPECT The study included 30 patients (16 boys and 14 girls) aged 8-16 with migraine with and without aura during attacks. SPECT scans were performed after i. v. injection of 99mTc-ECD of 0.3 mCi/kg b.m. Uptake of the tracer was determined in different regions of interest in the cortex. 11 patients showed homogenous distribution over all cortical regions and rCBF expressed as a cerebral/cerebellar ratio was within the normal range. Reduced perfusion and asymmetry ranging between the right and left hemisphere within 7-10% was observed in 19 out of 30 patients with migraine attacks. In all these 19 cases we observed localization of hypoperfused foci in SPECT imaging matched with the side of migraine pain.
Conclusions: The interictal rCBF is both reduced and asymmetric in children suffering from migraine and the side of migraine pain is in accordance with the localization of hypoperfusion in SPECT.