Qin Qin1,2, Peter C.M. van Zijl1,2
1Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
Oxygen Extraction Fraction (OEF) is an important clinical parameter that can be derived from the difference in arterial and venous oxygenation. We developed a pulse sequence that utilizes both non-selective T2 preparation and slice-selective saturation to simultaneously measure blood T2 in the internal jugular vein and internal carotid artery. Using a calibration curve from a separate blood phantom, these T2s were related to oxygenation (Y) and the arteriovenous differences (Ya-Yv) determined. The resulting oxygenations (n = 5) were Ya =10 and Yv=0.710.03, leading to OEF=0.290.03, in agreement with the literature.