title: Quantitative Functional Arterial Spin Labeling (fASL) MRI--Sensitivity and Reproducibility of Regional CBF Changes Using Pseudo-Continuous ASL Product Sequences.
abstract: Arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used to quantify task-related brain activation. This study assessed functional ASL (fASL) using pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL) product sequences from two vendors. By scanning healthy participants twice with each sequence while they performed a motor task, this study assessed functional ASL for 1) its sensitivity to detect task-related cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes, and 2) its reproducibility of resting CBF and absolute CBF changes (delta CBF) in the motor cortex. Whole-brain voxel-wise analyses showed that sensitivity for motor activation was sufficient with each sequence, and comparable between sequences. Reproducibility was assessed with within-subject coefficients of variation (wsCV) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Reproducibility of resting CBF was reasonably good within (wsCV: 14.1-15.7%; ICC: 0.69-0.77) and between sequences (wsCV: 15.1%; ICC: 0.69). Reproducibility of delta CBF was relatively low, both within (wsCV: 182-297%; ICC: 0.04-0.32) and between sequences (wsCV: 185%; ICC: 0.45), while inter-session variation was low. This may be due to delta CBF's small mean effect (0.77-1.32 mL/100g gray matter/min). In conclusion, fASL seems sufficiently sensitive to detect task-related changes on a group level, with acceptable inter-sequence differences. Resting CBF may provide a consistent baseline to compare task-related activation to, but absolute regional CBF changes are more variable, and should be interpreted cautiously when acquired with two pCASL product sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rebecca M E
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Steketee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henri J M M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mutsaerts
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Esther E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Bron
authors.affiliation: C.J. Gorter Center for High Field MRI, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthias J P
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: van Osch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Charles B L M
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Majoie
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aart J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nederveen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smits
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000502:physiology; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013113:Spin Labels