Non-contrast hemodynamic imaging of Moyamoya disease with MR fingerprinting ASL: A feasibility study

Pan Su; Peiying Liu; Marco C Pinho; Binu P Thomas; Ye Qiao; Judy Huang; Babu G Welch; Hanzhang Lu

doi:10.1016/j.mri.2022.02.006

Non-contrast hemodynamic imaging of Moyamoya disease with MR fingerprinting ASL: A feasibility study

Magn Reson Imaging. 2022 May:88:116-122. doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2022.02.006. Epub 2022 Feb 18.

Authors

Pan Su¹, Peiying Liu², Marco C Pinho³, Binu P Thomas⁴, Ye Qiao², Judy Huang⁵, Babu G Welch⁶, Hanzhang Lu⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
² The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
³ Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁴ Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁷ The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: hanzhang.lu@jhu.edu.

Abstract

Purpose: MR Fingerprinting (MRF) Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) is a non-contrast technique to estimate multiple brain hemodynamic and structural parameters in a single scan. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and initial utility of MRF-ASL in Moyamoya disease.

Methods: MRF-ASL, conventional single-delay ASL, Time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography, and contrast-based dynamic-susceptibility-contrast (DSC) MRI were prospectively collected from a group of Moyamoya patients in North America (N = 21, 4 men and 17 women). Sixteen healthy subjects (7 men and 9 women) also underwent an MRF-ASL scan. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), bolus arrival time (BAT), and tissue T1 were compared between Moyamoya patients and healthy controls. Perfusion parameters from MRF-ASL were compared to those from other MRI sequences. Multi-linear regression was used for comparisons of parameter values between Moyamoya and control groups. Linear mixed-effects models was used when comparing MRF-ASL to PCASL and DSC parameters. Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient was calculated when comparing MRF-ASL to and MRA grades. A P value of 0.05 or less was considered significant.

Results: BAT in stenotic internal carotid artery (ICA) territories was prolonged (P < 0.001) in Moyamoya patients, when compared with healthy controls. CBF in stenotic ICA territories of Moyamoya patients was not different from CBF in healthy controls; but in the PCA territories, CBF in Moyamoya patients was higher (P < 0.01) than controls. Quantitative T1 values in the stenotic ICA territories was longer (P < 0.05) than that in controls. Hemodynamic parameters estimated from MRF-ASL were significantly correlated with single-delay ASL and DSC. Longer BAT was associated with more severe intracranial artery stenosis in ICA.

Conclusions: MRF-ASL is a promising technique to assess perfusion and structural abnormalities in Moyamoya patients.

Keywords: Arterial spin labeling; Cerebrovascular disease; Internal carotid artery stenosis; Magnetic resonance fingerprinting; Moyamoya disease.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Arteries
Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology
Feasibility Studies
Female
Hemodynamics
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Moyamoya Disease* / diagnostic imaging
Spin Labels

Substances

Spin Labels

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding