Error Analysis of QBOLD Technique for Measurement Brain Hemodynamics

Xiaoqi Wang¹, Alexander L. Sukstanskii², Dmitriy a Yablonskiy^1,2

qBOLD (quantitative Blood Oxygenation Level Depend) technique provides an MRI-based method to measure tissue hemodynamic parameters such as oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and deoxyhemoglobin-containing cerebral blood volume fraction (dCBV). It is based on a theory of MR signal dephasing in the presence of blood vessel network and experimental method Gradient Echo Sampling of Spin Echo (GESSE). Herein, using Bayesian approach we present a comprehensive analysis of uncertainties in OEF and dCBV estimates and their dependence on GESSE sequence parameters, thus allowing optimization of qBOLD technique for optimum dCBV and OEF evaluation. Theoretical results are validated in phantom studies.