Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Imaging in Peripheral Artery Disease: Feasibility and Reproducibility of perfusion measurements

This study used blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) imaging to assess the hemodynamics of the lower limbs among elder controls and patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The BOLD-derived perfusion parameters, such as time to peak and gradient during reactive hyperemia, showed good reproducibility and significantly differed between patients and controls. The results indicated decreased vasodilatation ability and perfusion levels in patients with PAD. Therefore, BOLD imaging can be a feasible perfusion assessment method for long-term noninvasive PAD monitoring.