Abstract #1510

Characterising the Origin of the Arterial Spin Labelling Signal in MRI Using a Multi-Echo Acquisition Approach

Jack A. Wells^1,2, Mark F. Lythgoe^2,3, Mankin Choy^2,3, David Gadian², Roger Ordidge¹, David L. Thomas¹

¹Advanced MRI Group, University College London, London, UK; ²RCS Unit of Biophysics, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK; ³Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College London, London, UK

ASL provides a means of isolating the MR signal from arterial blood water in the brain. We have measured the transverse decay of the ASL signal over a range of bolus durations and delivery times to estimate the dynamic origin of nutritive flow within the extra and intracellular tissue space in the rat brain. By taking measurements with and without vascular crusher gradients we have calculated the extent of the perfusion weighted signal originating from the cerebral vasculature. We hope that this technique may be useful for future application in animal models of disease to better understand the relationship between perfusion and pathology.