PURPOSE: To assess the applicability of T1-weighted images in the presence of a contrast agent for functional mapping free of susceptibility artifacts, in comparison to the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients and five control subjects were scanned using BOLD and T1-weighted functional imaging, in the presence of a Gd-DTPA contrast-agent (TOFICA). In the control group, low- and high-resolution BOLD images were performed. Functional stimuli included motor and language activations. RESULTS: Both BOLD and TOFICA methods resulted in activations in the expected anatomical regions. The TOFICA mapping gave less distributed and with higher percent signal changes in comparison with the BOLD images. Gd-DTPA remained almost constant in the blood for at least 15 min post injection. In one patient with surgical clips, no signal was detected in the left cerebral hemisphere using BOLD imaging, but activation could be mapped using the TOFICA method. CONCLUSION: T1-weighted imaging in the presence of a contrast agent can be used for functional mapping. This method is insensitive to susceptibility artifacts, and is therefore advantageous in the evaluation of presurgical cases and in areas of the brain close to cavities in which the BOLD method cannot reliably be applied. Copyright (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PURPOSE: To assess the applicability of T1-weighted images in the presence of a contrast agent for functional mapping free of susceptibility artifacts, in comparison to the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients and five control subjects were scanned using BOLD and T1-weighted functional imaging, in the presence of a Gd-DTPA contrast-agent (TOFICA). In the control group, low- and high-resolution BOLD images were performed. Functional stimuli included motor and language activations. RESULTS: Both BOLD and TOFICA methods resulted in activations in the expected anatomical regions. The TOFICA mapping gave less distributed and with higher percent signal changes in comparison with the BOLD images. Gd-DTPA remained almost constant in the blood for at least 15 min post injection. In one patient with surgical clips, no signal was detected in the left cerebral hemisphere using BOLD imaging, but activation could be mapped using the TOFICA method. CONCLUSION: T1-weighted imaging in the presence of a contrast agent can be used for functional mapping. This method is insensitive to susceptibility artifacts, and is therefore advantageous in the evaluation of presurgical cases and in areas of the brain close to cavities in which the BOLD method cannot reliably be applied. Copyright (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors: Agata Majos; Tomasz Wolak; Piotr Bogorodzki; Krzysztof Tybor; Michał Sapieha; Ludomir Stefańczyk Journal: Neuroradiology Date: 2010-12-17 Impact factor: 2.804