Voxel-Based Analysis of Cerebral Perfusion Changes in Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Measured with a Novel 3D Arterial Spin Labeling Technique

Yong Zhang¹, He Wang¹, Guang Cao¹, Qing Mao¹, Bei Ding², Hua-Wei Ling²

This preliminary study investigated cerebral perfusion changes in Alzheimers disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) measured with a novel 3D arterial spin labeling technique to facilitate more accurate voxel-wise comparison. Twenty-four AD patients, seventeen MCI patients and twenty-one healthy controls were recruited. In addition to the decreased CBF regions in the bilateral temporo-parieto-occipital cortex, increased CBF was observed in bilateral thalamus, right temporal lobe and paracentral lobule for AD patients and in bilateral frontal lobes and right temporal lobe for MCI patients. Our results suggested the existence of the different patterns of hyperperfusion along with the disease evolvement.