Cerebral hemodynamics in a healthy population measured by dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To establish reference data and to study age-dependency for cerebral perfusion in various regions of the brain in a healthy population.


METHODS
Eighty healthy subjects of both genders from 22 to 85 years of age were studied with spin echo echo-planar dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging (DSC MRI) at 1.5 T. Cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and contrast agent mean transit time (MTT) were calculated bilaterally for 20 distinct neuroanatomic structures.


RESULTS
In gray matter, the following values were found (mean +/- SD): CBV (4.6 +/- 1.0 ml/100 g), CBF (94.2 +/- 23.0 ml/100 g/min), and MTT (3.0 +/- 0.6 s), and in white matter: CBV (1.3 +/- 0.4 ml/100 g), CBF (19.6 +/- 5.8 ml/100 g/min), and MTT (4.3 +/- 0.7 s). The perfusion parameters did not change with age, except for a tendency to an increase in gray matter MTT and CBV. Males exhibited higher MTT and CBV than females. No hemispheric difference was found in either gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Cerebral hemodynamics can be assessed with DSC MRI. Age itself seems to have only a marginal effect on cerebral perfusion in healthy population.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D003287:Contrast Media