Perfusion-weighted imaging of interictal hypoperfusion in temporal lobe epilepsy using FAIR-HASTE: comparison with...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Medical Physics
• Radiology

Background:

• Detecting perfusion abnormalities in brain regions with high magnetic susceptibility is challenging.
• Existing MRI techniques may suffer from susceptibility artifacts in critical areas like the temporal lobe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an arterial spin-labeling MRI technique for detecting brain perfusion abnormalities, particularly in susceptibility-prone regions.
• To assess the technique's efficacy in a clinical setting for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel arterial spin-labeling MRI sequence using flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) for spin preparation and half-Fourier single shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) for image acquisition.
• Initial testing in a visual stimulation functional study to measure relative cerebral blood flow changes.
• Clinical application in eight TLE patients, comparing results with H(2)(15)O PET perfusion imaging.

Main Results:

• The developed MRI technique detected a significant increase (approx. 70%) in relative cerebral blood flow during visual stimulation.
• Perfusion-weighted images in TLE patients showed no susceptibility artifacts, even in the inferior temporal lobe.
• The technique successfully identified interictal hypoperfusion in TLE patients.
• A strong statistically significant correlation (r = 0.75, P < 0.05) was observed between the MRI technique and H(2)(15)O PET imaging.

Conclusions:

• The novel FAIR-HASTE arterial spin-labeling MRI technique is effective for detecting brain perfusion abnormalities without susceptibility artifacts.
• This method shows promise for clinical applications, particularly in diagnosing conditions like temporal lobe epilepsy.
• The technique provides results comparable to H(2)(15)O PET, offering a valuable non-invasive neuroimaging tool.