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Abstract #4230

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Angiography - CESTA

Shaokuan Zheng1, Imramsjah M.J. van der Bom1, Zhongliang Zu2, Guoxing Lin3, Matthew J. Gounis1, Yansong Zhao4

1Radiology, UMASS Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; 2Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 3Gustav H. Carlson School of Chemistry, Clark University, Worcester, MA, United States; 4Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH, United States


Due to flow sensitivity of non-enhanced MRA, neurovascular diseases that present with slow or complex flow may not be fully appreciated. The feasibility of using Chemical Exchange Transfer Saturation (CEST) as angiography method is investigated. CEST imaging was performed on blood samples and the femoral artery of healthy human volunteers. The blood sample experiments showed that CEST contrast of 16% was achieved. In vivo CEST signal of blood was an order of magnitude greater than surrounding muscular tissue. Preliminary results show that blood is a suitable CEST agent that generates sufficient contrast to allow for angiographic imaging.

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