Abstract #2275

Comparison of Perfusion-Weighted Imaging Techniques in a Clinical Setting Using Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Enhanced MRI with Automated Localized Arterial Input Function Selection Versus Manual Global Arterial Input Function Selection

Adam M. Winchell^1,2, Ulrike Lobel¹, Jan Sedlacik¹, Ralf Loeffler¹, Zoltan Patay¹, Michael Hamm³, Claudia Hillenbrand¹

¹Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA; ²Biomedical Engineering, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA; ³Siemens Medical Solutions, USA

Perfusion weighted imaging has increasingly been used to assess brain perfusion in various clinical settings such as cerebral ischemia, arteriovenous malformations or for characterization of brain tumors. In contrast to manual and global arterial input function (AIF) selection, automated evaluation of dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced data using a local AIF minimizes deconvolution errors due to the effects of delay and dispersion of the contrast agent bolus. Furthermore, inter-rater variability selecting the AIF is eliminated. Aim of our study was to compare the reliability of CBF values detected by the different techniques exemplarily in a pediatric patient with diffuse brain stem glioma.