title: Functional arterial spin labeling: Optimal sequence duration for motor activation mapping in clinical practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the minimal optimal functional arterial spin labeling (fASL) sequence duration allowing steady and reproducible motor activation mapping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions including fASL and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) sequences were performed on 12 healthy subjects at 3T with a 32-channel coil. The raw 7-minute fASL sequence was truncated to obtain six fASL sequences with durations ranging from 1-6 minutes. All the resulting fASL activations were compared between themselves and with both the 7-minute fASL and BOLD activations. Quantitative parameters assessed activation location (activated volume, barycenter, and distance between barycenters), activation quantification (activation-related cerebral blood flow), and intraindividual reproducibility across fMRI sessions. The statistical analysis was based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's multiple comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four-minute fASL achieved steady location and quantification of activation with the activated volume corresponding to 81% of the 7-minute fASL volume and a barycenter located 1.2 mm from the 7-minute fASL barycenter and 3.0 mm from the BOLD fMRI barycenter. Four-minute fASL reproducibility was high and statistically equivalent to 7-minute values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 4-minute fASL sequence is thus a reliable tool for motor activation mapping and suitable for use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: CHU Rennes, Department of Neuroradiology, Rennes, France. helene.raoult@chu-rennes.fr
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ferré
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petr
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bannier
authors.forename: Aymeric
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barillot
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Gauvrit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels
chemical_list: D013113:Spin Labels