# Velocity-Selective Arterial Spin Labeling based Perfusion Mapping for Cerebrovascular Diseases

> **NIH NIH R01** · HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER · 2020 · $395,597

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) with large-vessel stenosis or occlusion as one of the leading causes of
death and disability in all societies, impose enormous social-economic burden worldwide. Quantitative cerebral
perfusion mapping is increasingly utilized at different stages of clinical workup, including evaluation of the
microcirculation of affected vascular territories acutely and beyond, guiding medical vs. interventional therapy,
prognostication, and longitudinal follow-ups. PET with [15O]-water is considered as the reference standard for
cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement but is less accessible than CT and MRI for clinical evaluation of vascular
diseases. The mainstay of clinical MR perfusion mapping is dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion weighted
imaging (DSC-PWI). For patients with large vessel occlusive diseases, accurate CBF quantification requires a
deconvolution technique that is insensitive to long arterial transit delay. The ability of arterial spin labeling (ASL)
to estimate absolute CBF without relying on exogenous contrast agents provides a non-invasive, more
quantitative, and often preferred alternative to DSC-PWI in the non-acute setting, particularly when there is
contraindication to Gadolinium contrast. ASL methods typically apply spatially selective labeling modules at
supplying arteries distant from imaging volumes. The standardized ASL technique recommended for clinical
applications is the single-delay pseudo-continuous ASL (PCASL) method, which is known to be sensitive to
delayed transit time. Newly developed velocity-selective arterial spin labeling (VSASL) can minimize the time-
delay sensitivity but suffers low signal-to-noise ratio due to the use of saturation-based labeling modules. We
recently developed Fourier transform based velocity-selective inversion (FT-VSI) pulse trains that allows
higher sensitivity to perfusion signal and better immunity to gradient imperfection. The purpose of this study is
first to further refine VSASL techniques in healthy people (Aim 1); then to assess the reproducibility and
sensitivity of VSASL in healthy people (Aim 2); and finally to evaluate and validate VSASL in patients with large-
vessel steno-occlusive CVD (Aim 3). The proposed VSASL techniques are expected to show clinical values not
only for the brain, but also for the rest of the body, and especially benefit children, pregnant women, and patients
with diabetes or impaired kidney function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10000991
- **Project number:** 5R01HL144751-02
- **Recipient organization:** HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER
- **Principal Investigator:** Qin Qin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $395,597
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10000991

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10000991, Velocity-Selective Arterial Spin Labeling based Perfusion Mapping for Cerebrovascular Diseases (5R01HL144751-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10000991. Licensed CC0.

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