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Blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) MRI of human skeletal muscle at 1.5 and 3 T
Author(s) -
Partovi Sasan,
Schulte AnjaCarina,
Jacobi Bjoern,
Klarhöfer Markus,
Lumsden Alan B.,
Loebe Matthias,
Davies Mark G.,
Noon Georg P.,
Karmonik Christof,
Zipp Lisa,
Bongartz Georg,
Bilecen Deniz
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.23583
Subject(s) - reactive hyperemia , skeletal muscle , magnetic resonance imaging , ischemia , thigh , oxygenation , cuff , blood flow , medicine , field strength , vascular occlusion , nuclear magnetic resonance , anatomy , nuclear medicine , chemistry , magnetic field , radiology , surgery , physics , quantum mechanics
Purpose: To evaluate the dependence of skeletal muscle blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) effect and time course characteristics on magnetic field strength in healthy volunteers using an ischemia/reactive hyperemia paradigm. Materials and Methods: Two consecutive skeletal muscle BOLD magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements in eight healthy volunteers were performed on 1.5 T and 3.0 T whole‐body MRI scanners. For both measurements a fat‐saturated multi‐shot multiecho gradient‐echo EPI sequence was applied. Temporary vascular occlusion was induced by suprasystolic cuff compression of the thigh. T2* time courses were obtained from two different calf muscles and characterized by typical curve parameters. Ischemia‐ and hyperemia‐induced changes in R2* (ΔR2*) were calculated for both muscles in each volunteer at the two field strengths. Results: Skeletal muscle BOLD changes are dependent on magnetic field strength as the ratio ΔR2*(3.0 T)/ΔR2*(1.5 T) was found to range between 1.6 and 2.2. Regarding time course characteristics, significantly higher relative T2* changes were found in both muscles at 3.0 T. Conclusion: The present study shows an approximately linear field strength dependence of ΔR2* in the skeletal muscle in response to ischemia and reactive hyperemia. Using higher magnetic fields is advisable for future BOLD imaging studies of peripheral limb pathologies. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1227‐1232. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.