MR perfusion

This imaging technique provides information about the brain's microvasculature. It also gives information about cerebral blood flow (CBF), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) etc. In most adult practices, an alternative technique is used called CT perfusion. However, it employs radiation and therefore we implemented this MRI based technique at Children's Wisconsin. It is used in the setting of stroke or vascular narrowing to determine the areas of the brain which are not getting enough blood supply. This technique is also used in the determination of the aggressiveness of the brain tumor.

Conventionally, this technique requires injection of a small bolus of contrast. However, we have also implemented a new technique called ‘Arterial Spin Labeling’ (ASL) where in selected cases cerebral blood flow information can be obtained without even contrast injection.