Selective multivessel labeling approach for perfusion territory imaging in pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling

Recently, a new method for perfusion territory imaging named superselective pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling was introduced. The method uses additional time-varying gradients to create a circular labeling spot that can be adjusted in size and thus adapted to individual arteries. In this study, the additional gradients are adjusted in such a way that an elliptical labeling spot is formed, which can be applied to label the blood in multiple vessels simultaneously in conjunction with an increased labeling efficiency compared with the original superselective approach. When compared with other selective multivessel strategies, the proposed technique allows for an improved and flexible adaption of the labeling focus to different anatomical variations of the arteries in the neck so that a total of five perfusion territories from the data acquired in three measurements can be recalculated in a reduced scan time. These include not only the perfusion territories of the cerebrum but also the perfusion territories in the cerebellum fed by individual vertebral arteries.