A Comparative Study of Perfusion Measurement in Brain Tumours at 3 Tesla MR: Arterial Spin Labeling versus Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Purpose: To prove the feasibility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) to explore brain tumors by comparing dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI to ASL at 3T MR. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven patients were included presenting 9 gliomas, 10 metastases and 8 meningiomas. All were explored by a pseudo-continuous ASL and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced T2* perfusion sequence. Two neuroradiologists analyzed the cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps to assess feasibility, examination quality and quantitative comparison. The Spearman nonparametric correlation test and the Bland-Altman graphic test were used to analyze our quantitative results. Results: 92% of ASL CBF maps were informative. ASL detected all lesions as well as dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI. Both sequences provide relative quantitative CBF values closely correlated. Conclusion: On a 3T MR unit, ASL is a good alternative to dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI when contrast medium is contraindicated or intravenous injection is not possible. Its results on relative CBF parameters are similar to contrast-injected perfusion. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel