Laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is very popular for measurements of dynamic changes of cerebral blood flow (CBF). We studied whether changes of CBF measured by LDF correlate with CBF measured by the [14C]iodoantipyrine (IAP) technique in the range relevant for most physiological experiments (-30-(+)130%). LDF was recorded biparietally by two laser-Doppler probes in halothane-anesthetized rats. Absolute CBF was measured in tissue samples of both parietal cortices after [14C]iodoantipyrine was given i.v. CBF of one hemisphere was reduced by an episode of cortical spreading depression (CSD), which markedly reduces the responsiveness of the ipsilateral cortical CBF to vasoactive stimuli for up to 30 min, while CBF regulation of the contralateral cortex remains intact. CBF was measured under normoventilated, hypercapnic, and hypoxic conditions. The relative changes of CBF measured by the LDF technique were independent of the preceding baseline LDF value. Absolute CBFIAP values correlated poorly to the simultaneously recorded arbitrary LDF values (r = 0.44). In contrast, the ratio of CBFIAP values correlated with the ratio of the relative LDF changes between the two hemispheres (p < 0.001). At reduced CBF, no significant difference was found between methods. At increased CBF, however, LDF was greater than CBFIAP, as indicated by a slope of correlation of 1.45 (p < 0.005).