Can cerebral CT detect insufficient cerebral blood supply?

Generally, cerebral ischemia cannot be detected by brain CT under normal circumstances. The detailed explanation is as follows:

Brain CT is primarily used to detect structural abnormalities in the brain, such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, brain tumors, hydrocephalus, and brain injuries. It uses X-rays to perform cross-sectional scans of the brain, thereby obtaining anatomical images. Cerebral ischemia is mainly caused by reduced or interrupted blood supply to the brain due to factors such as narrowing or spasm of cerebral blood vessels and increased blood viscosity, leading to cerebral tissue ischemia and hypoxia. This pathological condition usually cannot be directly visualized on brain CT, as CT imaging is not sensitive to the assessment of cerebral blood flow. If evaluation of cerebral perfusion is needed, other diagnostic methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or cerebral angiography should be employed.

In daily life, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits and a positive mindset, along with proactive prevention and treatment of diseases that may lead to cerebral ischemia, is more beneficial for maintaining brain health.