CBF

CBF is an acronym that may refer to several concepts depending on context. In medical and scientific literature, CBF most often stands for cerebral blood flow, the volume of blood passing through the brain's cerebral circulation per unit time.

Cerebral blood flow is commonly expressed in milliliters per 100 grams of brain tissue per minute (ml/100 g/min) and reflects the balance between cerebral perfusion and metabolic demand. Normal CBF in a resting adult is typically about 50 to 60 ml/100 g/min, with regional variation. CBF is tightly regulated by cerebral autoregulation, which maintains stable flow over a wide range of mean arterial pressures (MAP, roughly 60 to 150 mmHg). It is also influenced by arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and by neuronal activity through neurovascular coupling.

Changes in CBF are critical in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia, where reduced perfusion or misregulated flow can cause tissue injury. Clinically, CBF can be inferred or measured using imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL MRI), and CT perfusion.

In other contexts, CBF is used as an acronym for various organizations or concepts in finance, technology, and public health, among others. The precise meaning depends on the field and context, and readers should consult context-specific sources for clarification.