Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
Construction and Application of Cerebral Functional Region-Based Cerebral Blood Flow Atlas Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Arterial Spin Labeling
Published on: May 31, 2024
Nonenhanced extracranial carotid MR angiography using arterial spin labeling: improved performance with
Ioannis Koktzoglou1, NavYash Gupta, Robert R Edelman
1Department of Radiology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois 60201, USA. ikoktzoglou@northshore.org
Purpose:
To compare pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) and pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) for nonenhanced extracranial carotid MR angiography (MRA).
Materials And Methods:
Parametric signal equations for PASL and PCASL MRA were formulated and compared. Volunteer imaging (n=7) at 1.5 Tesla was performed to compare the methods over a broad range of repetition and labeling times. Empirical results were compared with theoretical predictions. The feasibility of the optimal method was investigated in patients (n=2) with sonographically documented carotid artery disease.
Results:
In volunteers, PCASL provided significantly improved signal than PASL (range: 32-255% improvement; P<0.01), and better supported the use of long labeling times and short repetition times. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment was found (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.966; P<0.001). PCASL provided excellent depiction of the carotid arteries in initial patient studies.
Conclusion:
Compared with pulsed tagging, pseudocontinuous tagging provides improved performance for nonenhanced extracranial carotid MRA and warrants further clinical investigation.
