fMRI in hyperbaric therapy?

[Guest guest]

A consistent argument successfully used by neurologists against the

value of SPECT-scan imaging to measure improvements in brain-injury

via HBOT is that SPECT-scans only measure perfusion and not function.

Caretakers will be quick to tell you that neurologists don't know

much about brain-injury. Yet for the so-called unbiased mediators

(judges), it seems not just impossible but inconceivable that

neurologists could be so devoid of such fundamental (and even)

essential knowledge--therefore they rule against those outside of

Neurology.

Example: Terri Schiavo.

While HBOT advocates state cerebral blood flow is coupled with

metabolism, i.e., function, judges making decisions

are asked to make a number of " leaps of faith " in this process:

1. Before HBOT SPECT-scans reveal deficit blood flow.

2. Patient receives " off-label " , " non-covered, " non-approved " HBOT.

3. Second SPECT-scan post HBOT reveals increased perfusion.

4. Implication is increased perfusion means increased metabolism.

5. Increased metabolism means increased function.

6. Increased function means brain is now working where it wasn't

working before.

Question: Couldn't this process be abbreviated by a more direct

process--such as using Functional MRI's as an imaging technique? What

are the barriers to using fMRI in brain-injury and HBOT?

Thanks for your help.

--

Freels

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