Investig Magn Reson Imaging.  2017 Jun;21(2):91-96. 10.13104/imri.2017.21.2.91.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Arterial Spin Labeling: Techniques and Potential Clinical and Research Applications

• Kim JH
• Choi DS
• Park SE
• Choi HC
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2385605
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13104/imri.2017.21.2.91

Abstract

PURPOSE
To describe technical methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with arterial spin labeling (ASL) compared to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique and discuss the potential of ASL for research and clinical practice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Task-based (n = 1) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) (n = 20) were performed using ASL and BOLD techniques. Results of both techniques were compared.
RESULTS
For task-based fMRI with finger-tapping, the primary motor cortex of the contralateral frontal lobe and the ipsilateral cerebellum were activated by both BOLD and ASL fMRI. For rs-fMRI of sensorimotor network, functional connectivity showed similar results between BOLD and ASL.
CONCLUSION
ASL technique has potential application in clinical and research fields because all brain perfusion imaging, CBF measurement, and rs-fMRI study can be performed in a single acquisition.

Keyword

Cerebral blood flow (CBF); Arterial spin labeling (ASL); Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD); Functional MRI (fMRI); Resting state fMRI

MeSH Terms

Brain
Cerebellum
Frontal Lobe
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Motor Cortex
Oxygen
Perfusion Imaging
Oxygen

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The t-maps of arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activation induced by right hand-motor test using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) and BOLD sequences showing ten axial slices. A color scales of t-values is overlaid upon anatomical image of a single subject. There are activation foci in the cerebellum and contralateral primary motor cortex. The maximum signal strength values and cluster sizes of the cerebellum and primary motor cortex were measured higher and larger in BOLD than those in ASL (peak signal intensity: cerebellum [BOLD = 8.7993, ASL = 4.8377], motor cortex [BOLD = 17.8704, ASL = 5.2857], cluster size: cerebellum [BOLD = 53, ASL = 25], motor cortex [BOLD = 386, ASL = 200], P = 0.001).

• 

  Fig. 2 Functional connectivity results from sensorimotor network showing similar pattern between blood oxygenation leveldependent (BOLD) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Peak z-scores were as follows: right (BOLD = 1.3791, ASL = 0.5623), left (BOLD = 1.3292, ASL = 0.4926), supplementary motor area (BOLD = 1.2395, ASL = 0.4310). pCASL = pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling

• 

  Fig. 3 Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) region of interest (ROI) signal intensity changes with time courses during resting state. Signal intensity time courses represent the mean time course from all voxels in ROI. The signal intensity change in ASL was lower than that in BOLD.

• 

  Fig. 4 Mean Z scores of Wilcoxon signed-rank test between arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Region of interest (ROI) = Montreal Neurological Institute (x, y, z); ROI 1 = (33, -28, 62); ROI 2 = (-33, -29, 62); P = 0.001.

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