Korean J Radiol.  2011 Oct;12(5):554-558. 10.3348/kjr.2011.12.5.554.

Determination of the rCBF in the Amygdala and Rhinal Cortex Using a FAIR-TrueFISP Sequence

• Ludescher
• Martirosian P
• Klose U
• Nagele T
• Schick F
• Ernemann U

• KMID: 1116440
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2011.12.5.554

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Brain perfusion can be assessed non-invasively by modern arterial spin labeling MRI. The FAIR (flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery)-TrueFISP (true fast imaging in steady precession) technique was applied for regional assessment of cerebral blood flow in brain areas close to the skull base, since this approach provides low sensitivity to magnetic susceptibility effects. The investigation of the rhinal cortex and the amygdala is a potentially important feature for the diagnosis and research on dementia in its early stages.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-three subjects with no structural or psychological impairment were investigated. FAIR-True-FISP quantitative perfusion data were evaluated in the amygdala on both sides and in the pons. A preparation of the radiofrequency FOCI (frequency offset corrected inversion) pulse was used for slice selective inversion. After a time delay of 1.2 sec, data acquisition began. Imaging slice thickness was 5 mm and inversion slab thickness for slice selective inversion was 12.5 mm. Image matrix size for perfusion images was 64 x 64 with a field of view of 256 x 256 mm, resulting in a spatial resolution of 4 x 4 x 5 mm. Repetition time was 4.8 ms; echo time was 2.4 ms. Acquisition time for the 50 sets of FAIR images was 6:56 min. Data were compared with perfusion data from the literature.
RESULTS
Perfusion values in the right amygdala, left amygdala and pons were 65.2 (+/- 18.2) mL/100 g/minute, 64.6 (+/- 21.0) mL/100 g/minute, and 74.4 (+/- 19.3) mL/100 g/minute, respectively. These values were higher than formerly published data using continuous arterial spin labeling but similar to 15O-PET (oxygen-15 positron emission tomography) data.
CONCLUSION
The FAIR-TrueFISP approach is feasible for the quantitative assessment of perfusion in the amygdala. Data are comparable with formerly published data from the literature. The applied technique provided excellent image quality, even for brain regions located at the skull base in the vicinity of marked susceptibility steps.

Keyword

Amygdala; Arterial Spin Labeling; FAIR TrueFISP; MR; Perfusion; Rhinal Cortex

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Amygdala/*blood supply
*Cerebrovascular Circulation
Dementia/diagnosis/physiopathology
Entorhinal Cortex/*blood supply
Female
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods
Male
Middle Aged
Pons/blood supply
Reproducibility of Results
Spin Labels

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Region of interest-positions. Positions of region of interests in axial slice.

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  Fig. 2 Proton density (PD) weighted and perfusion weighted images.

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