Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI is clinically used to measure brain perfusion by monitoring the dynamic passage of a bolus of contrast agent through the brain. For quantitative analysis of the DSC images, the arterial input function is required. It is known that the original assumption of a linear relation between the R2(*) relaxation and the arterial contrast agent concentration is invalid, although the exact relation is as of yet unknown. Studying this relation in vitro is time-consuming, because of the widespread variations in field strengths, MRI sequences, contrast agents, and physiological conditions. This study aims to simulate the R2(*) versus contrast concentration relation under varying physiological and technical conditions using an adapted version of an open-source simulation tool. The approach was validated with previously acquired data in human whole blood at 1.5 T by means of a gradient-echo sequence (proof-of-concept). Subsequently, the impact of hematocrit, field strength, and oxygen saturation on this relation was studied for both gradient-echo and spin-echo sequences. The results show that for both gradient-echo and spin-echo sequences, the relaxivity increases with hematocrit and field strength, while the hematocrit dependency was nonlinear for both types of MRI sequences. By contrast, oxygen saturation has only a minor effect. In conclusion, the simulation setup has proven to be an efficient method to rapidly calibrate and estimate the relation between R2(*) and gadolinium concentration in whole blood. This knowledge will be useful in future clinical work to more accurately retrieve quantitative information on brain perfusion.

© 2021 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Overview publication

TitleDependency of R2 and R2 * relaxation on Gd-DTPA concentration in arterial blood: Influence of hematocrit and magnetic field strength.
DateMay 1st, 2022
Issue nameNMR in biomedicine
Issue numberv35.5:e4653
DOI10.1002/nbm.4653
PubMed34816501
Authorsvan Dorth D, Venugopal K, Poot DHJ, Hirschler L, de Bresser J, Smits M, Hernandez-Tamames JA, Debacker CS & van Osch MJP
Keywordsarterial input function, dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI, hematocrit dependency, magnetic field strength, oxygen saturation, simulations
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