Abstract #1497

Zhu M, Ackerman J, Yablonskiy D, Sukstanskii A

Temperature measurements in the rat brain reveal a gradient with the center of the brain being warmer than the brain surface. Detail theoretical analysis predicts that the temperature distribution near the brain surface is exponential with a characteristic screening length D dependent upon the CBF. This study provides direct experimental evidence confirming the theoretical relationship between D and CBF. Consequently, measurement of brain temperature profiles provides quantitative assessment of blood flow. Temperature profiles were evaluated by means of non-invasive MR spectroscopy and validated by direct thermocouple measurements. CBF was measured using the microsphere tracer technique.