High-resolution perfusion imaging in rodents using pCASL at 9.4 T

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Medical Physics
• Radiology

Background:

• Adequate brain perfusion is essential for normal function and altered in disease.
• Pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (pCASL) MRI offers noninvasive perfusion mapping without contrast agents.
• Current pCASL methods in rodents, particularly mice, suffer from low resolution and instability, limiting research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel experimental setup for high-resolution pCASL imaging in mice.
• To enhance signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) using cryogenic probes for improved rodent perfusion imaging.
• To overcome limitations of current pCASL techniques for studying rodent models of disease.

Main Methods:

• Developed a new experimental setup for pCASL imaging optimized for rodents.
• Integrated cryogenic probes to enhance SNR and labeling reproducibility.
• Achieved optimal positioning of carotid arteries within the cryogenic coil.

Main Results:

• Increased spatial resolution of pCASL perfusion images by 15-fold in mice.
• Achieved a 6-fold increase in spatial resolution in rats compared to state-of-the-art methods.
• Demonstrated improved delineation of specific brain areas in healthy and stroke models.

Conclusions:

• The novel pCASL setup with cryogenic probes significantly enhances resolution and SNR in rodent brain perfusion imaging.
• This advancement facilitates detailed investigation of brain perfusion in various rodent models, including stroke.
• The methodology holds promise for future high-definition pCASL perfusion imaging in preclinical research.