Review: Blood-Brain Barrier: Phenomenon of Increasing Importance to the Imaging Clinician

Abstract

Research during the past decade has greatly extended our appreciation of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its functional importance [1–3]. Although disturbance of the barrier has been recognized for many years as the basis for radionuclide imaging of cerebral abnormalities [4], enhanced computed tomographic (CT) images also reflect changes in the BBB produced by various disease processes. For optimum application of imaging methods of the brain, clinicians should have a knowledge of the normal BBB and the pathologic conditions that may alter it. Our current understanding of the barrier, its structure and properties, and the mechanisms of alterations by major disease is reviewed.