title: Quantitative renal perfusion measurements in a rat model of acute kidney injury at 3T: testing inter- and intramethodical significance of ASL and DCE-MRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish arterial spin labelling (ASL) for quantitative renal perfusion measurements in a rat model at 3 Tesla and to test the diagnostic significance of ASL and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in a model of acute kidney injury (AKI).
  
  
  METHODS
  ASL and DCE-MRI were consecutively employed on six Lewis rats, five of which had a unilateral ischaemic AKI. All measurements in this study were performed on a 3 Tesla MR scanner using a FAIR True-FISP approach and a TWIST sequence for ASL and DCE-MRI, respectively. Perfusion maps were calculated for both methods and the cortical perfusion of healthy and diseased kidneys was inter- and intramethodically compared using a region-of-interest based analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both methods produce significantly different values for the healthy and the diseased kidneys (P<0.01). The mean difference was 147±47 ml/100 g/min and 141±46 ml/100 g/min for ASL and DCE-MRI, respectively. ASL measurements yielded a mean cortical perfusion of 416±124 ml/100 g/min for the healthy and 316±102 ml/100 g/min for the diseased kidneys. The DCE-MRI values were systematically higher and the mean cortical renal blood flow (RBF) was found to be 542±85 ml/100 g/min (healthy) and 407±119 ml/100 g/min (AKI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both methods are equally able to detect abnormal perfusion in diseased (AKI) kidneys. This shows that ASL is a capable alternative to DCE-MRI regarding the detection of abnormal renal blood flow. Regarding absolute perfusion values, nontrivial differences and variations remain when comparing the two methods.
authors: Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Zimmer
authors: Frank G
authors: FG
authors: Zöllner
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Hoeger
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Klotz
authors: Charalambos
authors: C
authors: Tsagogiorgas
authors: Bernhard K
authors: BK
authors: Krämer
authors: Lothar R
authors: LR
authors: Schad
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012079:Renal Circulation; D013113:Spin Labels
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D013113:Spin Labels; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA