Cortical perfusion is an important biomarker that could reflect pathophysiological changes in kidney disease. Novel methods to assess kidney perfusion could be complementary to DCE and ASL techniques. In this work, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept to obtain perfusion-weighted kidney images using time-resolved dissolved hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI. Subtraction of images acquired with different TR showed high contrast within the kidneys that qualitatively match those seen on ASL perfusion maps and indicate higher xenon uptake in the cortex when compared to the medulla. This work demonstrates the potential of hyperpolarized 129Xe as injection free means of assessment of renal perfusion imaging.
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