Absolute Cerebral Blood Volume and Blood Flow Measurements Based on Synchrotron Radiation Quantitative Computed Tomography

Synchrotron radiation computed tomography opens new fields by using monochromatic x-ray beams. This technique allows one to measure in vivo absolute contrast-agent concentrations with high accuracy and precision, and absolute cerebral blood volume or flow can be derived from these measurements using tracer kinetic methods. The authors injected an intravenous bolus of an iodinated contrast agent in healthy rats, and acquired computed tomography images to follow the temporal evolution of the contrast material in the blood circulation. The first image acquired before iodine infusion was subtracted from the others to obtain computed tomography slices expressed in absolute iodine concentrations. Cerebral blood volume and cerebral blood flow maps were obtained after correction for partial volume effects. Mean cerebral blood volume and flow values (n = 7) were 2.1 ± 0.38 mL/100 g and 129 ± 18 mL · 100 g–1 · min–1 in the parietal cortex; and 1.92 ± 0.32 mL/100 g and 125 ± 17 mL · 100 g–1 · min–1 in the caudate putamen, respectively. Synchrotron radiation computed tomography has the potential to assess these two brain-perfusion parameters.