title: Model of the human vasculature for studying the influence of contrast injection speed on cerebral perfusion MRI.
abstract: Simulations of dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI are frequently performed by assuming a certain shape for the input function and the microvascular response function. However, to investigate the influence of parameters that will affect the shape of the input function, a more complex model of the human vasculature is required. In this study, a model of the human vasculature is proposed that consists of a network of vascular operators based on physiological data typical of a 35-year-old male subject. The simulated contrast passage curves were found to be within the range of observed contrast passage curves in a population of patients without vascular disease. The model was used to predict the effect of different injection speeds of the contrast agent on the accuracy of the perfusion experiment. It was found that injection speeds of <3 ml/s lead to an underestimation of the observed cerebral blood flow (CBF). Additionally, it was determined that decreasing the temporal resolution of the acquisition results in an underestimation of the CBF values, and an increase of the standard deviation (SD) of CBF measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. thijs@isi.uu.nl
authors.forename: Matthias J P
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: van Osch
authors.forename: Evert-Jan P A
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vonken
authors.forename: Ona
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Max A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Viergever
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Grond
authors.forename: Chris J G
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media