Improved Detection and Estimation of Perfusion Using High Spatial Resolution ASL at 7T

Emma Louise Hall¹, Roman Wesolowski¹, Penny A. Gowland¹, Susan T. Francis¹

Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) data is typically acquired at coarse resolution with voxel volumes of ~ 50 l. In this study the increased signal-to-noise and lengthened relaxation times at 7 T are used to acquire ASL at a range of spatial resolutions (45 l, 27 l, 12 l and 7 l). At high spatial resolution partial volume effects are reduced allowing the delineation of homogeneous grey matter perfusion changes. This leads to an increase in the measured mean grey matter ASL signal change, which will result in increased measured perfusion rate, and increased contrast-to-noise ratio.