Comparison of arterial spin-labeling techniques and dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI in perfusion imaging of normal brain tissue.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in normal brain tissue using arterial spin-labeling (ASL) methods and first-pass dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Sixty-two patients with brain metastases were examined on a 1.5 T-system up to 6 times during routine follow-up after stereotactic radiosurgery. Perfusion values in normal gray and white matter were measured using the ASL techniques ITS-FAIR in 38 patients, Q2TIPS in 62 patients, and the first-pass DSC echo-planar (EPI) MRI after bolus administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine in 42 patients. Precision of the ASL sequences was tested in follow-up examinations in 10 healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
Perfusion values in normal brain tissue obtained by all sequences correlated well by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficients (P < 0.0001) and remained unchanged after stereotactic radiosurgery as shown by analysis of variance (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Both ASL and DSC EPI MRI yield highly comparable perfusion values in normal brain tissue.
Weber
Marc-André
MA
Division Radiological Diagnostics and Therapy, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. m.a.weber@dkfz.de
Günther
Matthias
M
Lichy
Matthias P
MP
Delorme
Stefan
S
Bongers
André
A
Thilmann
Christoph
C
Essig
Marco
M
Zuna
Ivan
I
Schad
Lothar R
LR
Debus
Jürgen
J
Schlemmer
Heinz-Peter
HP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016634:Radiosurgery
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA