Absolute quantification of cerebral blood flow in normal volunteers: Correlation between Xe-133SPECT and dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI

• Purpose: To compare, absolute cerebral blood flow (CBF) estimates obtained by dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC-MRI) and Xe-133 SPECT. Materials and Methods: CBF was measured in 20 healthy volunteers using DSC-MRI at 3T and Xe-133 SPECT. DSC- MRI was accomplished by gradient-echo EPI and CBF was calculated using a time-shift-insenisitive deconvolution algorithm and regional arterial input functions (AIFs). To improve the reproducibility of AIF registration the time integral was rescaled by use, of a venous output function. In the Xe-133 SPECT experiment, Xe-133 gas was inhaled over 8 minutes and CBF was calculated using a biexponential analysis. Results: The average whole-brain CBF estimates obtained by DSC-MRI and Xe- 133 SPECT were 85 +/- 23 mL/(min 100 g) and 40 +/- 8 mL/(min 100 g), respectively (mean +/- SD, n = 20). The linear CBF relationship between the two modalities showed a correlation coefficient of r = 0.76 and was described by the equation CBF(MRI) = 2.4 CBF(Xe) - 7.9 (CBF in units of mL/(min 100 g)). Conclusion: A reasonable positive linear correlation between MRI-based and SPECT-based CBF estimates was observed after AIF time-integral correction. The use of DSC-MRI typically results in overestimated absolute perfusion estimates and the present study indicates that this trend is further enhanced by the use of high magnetic field strength (3T).

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Radiologi och bildbehandling (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging (hsv//eng)

Keyword

magnetic

cerebral blood flow

dynamic susceptibility contrast

resonance imaging

perfusion

Xe-133SPECT

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)