CEREBRAL PERFUSION IN CHILDREN - DETECTION WITH DYNAMIC CONTRAST-ENHANCED T2-ASTERISK-WEIGHTED MR IMAGES

Cerebral perfusion dynamics were assessed with dynamic contrast materi al-enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in 33 subject s aged 3-20 years. Group A (n = 20) had sickle cell anemia without cli nical evidence of cerebrovascular disease. Group B (n = 13) consisted of 12 patients with cerebrovascular disease and homozygous sickle cell anemia and one patient without that anemia. All subjects underwent co nventional MR imaging and a dynamic study in which a spoiled gradient- echo pulse sequence was used to generate images (acquisition time, 2.5 seconds) during injection of a compact bolus of gadopentetate dimeglu mine (0.1 mmol/kg). For qualitative analysis, the dynamic images were displayed in cine mode. Group A demonstrated symmetric sequential regi on patterns of loss of signal intensity within 10 seconds of injection . Group B exhibited signal loss asymmetries that corresponded to cereb rovascular lesions on conventional MR images. Quantitative analysis en abled estimation of hemodynamic parameters, including relative cerebra l blood volume, relative cerebral blood flow, and mean transit time. T his method of assessment of cerebral perfusion dynamics complements co nventional MR imaging.