MR perfusion imaging of pulmonary parenchyma using pulsed arterial spin labeling techniques: FAIRER and FAIR

Magnetic resonance imaging of pulmonary parenchyma perfusion using pulsed a rterial spin labeling (ASL) techniques is presented, ASL uses magnetically labeled water as an endogenous, freely diffusible tracer, Presented are com parative results of ASL methods called Flow sensitive Alternating Inversion Recovery (FAIR), and FAIR with an Extra Radiofrequency pulse (FAIRER), Six healthy human volunteers were imaged. Perfusion-weighted images at differe nt time delays, TI, were calculated from the subtraction of the control and tag images, which were acquired within a single breathhold. Detailed pulmo nary structures can be visualized with negligible cardiac or respiratory mo tion artifacts. Different patterns of signal enhancement between the pulmon ary vessels and parenchyma are shown in the perfusion images acquired at di fferent TIs, (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.