DSC-MRI requires bolus administration of gadolinium, an exogenous contrast agent with notable limitations. We used simulations to compare gadolinium with a deoxyhemoglobin bolus generated in the lungs as perfusion contrast and verified the findings in healthy human subjects. We found that the calculated cerebral blood volume is dependent on the contrast agent, the magnitude of deoxyhemoglobin concentration increase (dosage), and the baseline oxygen saturation. We also found a reduction of macrovascular contamination with deoxyhemoglobin contrast. This work reveals novel insights for the use of deoxyhemoglobin, an endogenous and safe contrast agent for determining perfusion in the human brain.
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