Arterial Spin-Labeling Evaluation of Cerebrovascular Reactivity to Acetazolamide in Healthy Subjects

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arterial spin-labeling MR imaging permits safe, repeated CBF measurement. We investigated the potential and technical factors of arterial spin-labeling imaging in assessing cerebrovascular reactivity to acetazolamide.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The regional CBF was measured in 8 healthy volunteers by use of a 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling sequence. Arterial spin labeling imaging was performed at rest and every 2 minutes after intravenous acetazolamide injection. To evaluate repeatability, regional CBF measurements were repeated without acetazolamide within an imaging session and on a separate day. Additionally, arterial spin-labeling imaging was performed at rest and after acetazolamide injection with different postlabeling delays, and regional cerebrovascular reactivity was calculated.

RESULTS: The regional CBF started to increase immediately after acetazolamide injection and peaked at approximately 10 minutes, followed by a slow decrease. Favorable intrasession repeatability was demonstrated, especially when scanner tuning was omitted between scans. Rest regional CBF was slightly lower with a postlabeling delay of 2525 ms than with a postlabeling delay of 1525 ms, and the postlabeling delay–dependent difference was more evident for regional CBF after acetazolamide injection and regional cerebrovascular reactivity.

CONCLUSIONS: Arterial spin-labeling imaging allows evaluation of the distribution, magnitude, and time course of cerebrovascular response to acetazolamide. The influence of the postlabeling delay on the estimated cerebrovascular reactivity should be noted.