A comparative study of perfusion measurement in brain tumours at 3 Tesla MR: Arterial spin labeling versus dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI.
OBJECTIVE
To prove the feasibility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) to explore brain tumors by comparing dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI to ASL at 3T MR.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients were included presenting 9 gliomas, 10 metastases and 8 meningiomas. All were explored by a pseudo-continuous ASL and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced T2* perfusion sequence. Two neuroradiologists analyzed the cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps to assess feasibility, examination quality and quantitative comparison. The Spearman nonparametric correlation test and the Bland-Altman graphic test were used to analyze our quantitative results.


RESULTS
92% of ASL CBF maps were informative. ASL detected all lesions as well as dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI. Both sequences provide relative quantitative CBF values closely correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
On a 3T MR unit, ASL is a good alternative to dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI when contrast medium is contraindicated or intravenous injection is not possible. Its results on relative CBF parameters are similar to contrast-injected perfusion.
Lehmann
P
P
Neuroradiology, Amiens University Hospital, France. pierre.lehmann@ah-hm.fr
Monet
P
P
de Marco
G
G
Saliou
G
G
Perrin
M
M
Stoquart-Elsankari
S
S
Bruniau
A
A
Vallée
J N
JN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013113:Spin Labels; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media; D013113:Spin Labels