Estimation of Contrast Agent Extravasation from the Tissue Residue Function: Application to Tumor Perfusion Imaging

Atle Bjornerud^1,2, Kyrre E. Emblem¹

We propose a new method to estimate contrast agent extravasation directly from the tissue residue function derived from dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR imaging. The method is insensitive to variations in mean transit times and can correct both CBV, CBF and MTT directly from the estimated tissue residue function. Using the method, both T1-dominant and T2* dominant extravasation (resulting in both positive and negative leakage constant K1) was detected in a population of 21 contrast enhancing gliomas using a standard GRE-EPI DSC sequence at 1.5 T.