title: Quantification of renal allograft perfusion using arterial spin labeling MRI: initial results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify renal allograft perfusion in recipients with stable allograft function and acute decrease in allograft function using nonenhanced flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR)-TrueFISP arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following approval of the local ethics committee, 20 renal allograft recipients were included in this study. ASL perfusion measurement and an anatomical T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (HASTE) sequence were performed on a 1.5-T scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). T2-weighted MR urography was performed in patients with suspected ureteral obstruction. Patients were assigned to three groups: group a, 6 patients with stable allograft function over the previous 4 months; group b, 7 patients with good allograft function who underwent transplantation during the previous 3 weeks; group c, 7 allograft recipients with an acute deterioration of renal function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean cortical perfusion values were 304.8 +/- 34.4, 296.5 +/- 44.1, and 181.9 +/- 53.4 mg/100 ml/min for groups a, b and c, respectively. Reduction in cortical perfusion in group c was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that ASL is a promising technique for nonenhanced quantification of cortical perfusion of renal allografts. Further studies are required to determine the clinical value of ASL for monitoring renal allograft recipients.
authors: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. rotemshlomo@yahoo.de
authors: Rotem S
authors: RS
authors: Lanzman
authors: Hans-Jörg
authors: HJ
authors: Wittsack
authors: Petros
authors: P
authors: Martirosian
authors: Panagiota
authors: P
authors: Zgoura
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Bilk
authors: Patric
authors: P
authors: Kröpil
authors: Fritz
authors: F
authors: Schick
authors: Adina
authors: A
authors: Voiculescu
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Blondin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013113:Spin Labels