Johannes Gregori1, Norbert Schuff2,3,
Matthias Gnther1,4
1Fraunhofer MEVIS, Bremen,
Germany; 2Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of
California San Francisco, United States; 3Center for Imaging of
Neurodegenerate Diseases (CIND), VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United
States; 4FB1, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany
A new method is presented to derive quantitative brain maps of water transfer from blood to tissue, based on non-invasive Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) techniques using additional T2 measurements. A two-compartment perfusion model including T2 and permeability effects is derived based on the General Kinetic Model. Resulting whole-brain maps of transfer time, which is inversely proportional to capillary water permeability, are shown for healthy volunteers acquired on a 3 Tesla system.