Arterial spin labeling imaging in evaluation of cerebral blood flow in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis / 中国介入影像与治疗学

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the feasibility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging in assessment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis. Methods: Plain MR, DWI, three dimensional time of flight (3D-TOF) and ASL scanning were performed in 30 patients with unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis. Then the patients were divided into mild stenosis, moderate stenosis and severe stenosis cases according to 3D-TOF imaging. CBF of basal ganglia, centrum semiovale, anterior watershed, frontal lobe and temporal lobe were calculated and compared between the healthy side and the affected side. Results: One side internal carotid artery stenosis was mild in 11 cases, moderate in 9 cases and severe in 10 cases. There was no significant difference of CBF between the healthy side and the affected side of basal ganglia, centrum semiovale, anterior watershed, frontal lobe nor temporal lobe in patients with mild and moderate stenosis (all P> 0.05), while CBF of healthy side of each brain area in patients with severe stenosis were all higher than in the affected side (all P< 0.05). CBF value decreased with the increase of stenosis degree and negatively correlated with the latter (r=-0.966, P< 0.001). Conclusion: ASL can quantitatively and accurately evaluate CBF in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis, which is of great significance for guiding clinical treatment and evaluating curative effect.