Pulsed arterial spin labeling applications in brain tumors: practical review

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Neuro-oncology

Background:

• Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an underutilized MRI technique for assessing tissue perfusion.
• Contrast-enhanced MRI is standard, but ASL offers a non-invasive alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe ASL techniques and quantitative considerations.
• To detail a pulsed ASL sequence for clinical 1.5-T MRI.
• To illustrate ASL applications in tumoral diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of ASL techniques and quantitative principles.
• Description of a specific pulsed ASL sequence for clinical MRI.
• Application of ASL in the context of brain tumors.

Main Results:

• ASL provides quantitative perfusion measurements without contrast agents.
• A practical ASL sequence is presented for clinical 1.5-T scanners.
• ASL demonstrates utility in diagnosing, grading, and monitoring brain tumors.

Conclusions:

• ASL is a valuable tool for non-invasive assessment of brain tumors.
• ASL can aid in diagnosis, grading, biopsy guidance, and treatment follow-up.
• Wider adoption of ASL in clinical practice is recommended for tumoral disease management.