Quantification of the magnetic resonance signal response to dynamic (C)O(2)-enhanced imaging in the brain at 3 T: R*(2) BOLD vs. balanced SSFP.
OBJECTIVE
To compare two magnetic resonance (MR) contrast mechanisms, R*(2) BOLD and balanced SSFP, for the dynamic monitoring of the cerebral response to (C)O(2) respiratory challenges.


METHODS
Carbogen and CO(2)-enriched air were delivered to 9 healthy volunteers and 1 glioblastoma patient. The cerebral response was recorded by two-dimensional (2D) dynamic multi-gradient-echo and passband-balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequences, and local changes of R*(2) and signal intensity were investigated. Detection sensitivity was analyzed by statistical tests. An exponential signal model was fitted to the global response function delivered by each sequence, enabling quantitative comparison of the amplitude and temporal behavior.


RESULTS
The bSSFP signal changes during carbogen and CO(2)/air inhalation were lower compared with R*(2) BOLD (ca. 5% as opposed to 8-13%). The blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response amplitude enabled differentiation between carbogen and CO(2)/air by a factor of 1.4-1.6, in contrast to bSSFP, where differentiation was not possible. Furthermore, motion robustness and detection sensitivity were higher for R*(2) BOLD.


CONCLUSIONS
Both contrast mechanisms are well suited to dynamic (C)O(2)-enhanced MR imaging, although the R*(2) BOLD mechanism was demonstrated to be superior in several respects for the chosen application. This study suggests that the R*(2) BOLD and bSSFP-response characteristics are related to different physiologic mechanisms.
Remmele
Stefanie
S
Philips Research, 22335 Hamburg, Germany. stefanie.remmele@philips.com
Dahnke
Hannes
H
Flacke
Sebastian
S
Soehle
Martin
M
Wenningmann
Ingobert
I
Kovacs
Attila
A
Träber
Frank
F
Müller
Andreas
A
Willinek
Winfried A
WA
König
Roy
R
Clusmann
Hans
H
Gieseke
Jürgen
J
Schild
Hans H
HH
Mürtz
Petra
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C011700:carbogen; D010100:Oxygen