Oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) mapping by using multi-delay arterial spin labeling based on QSM+qBOLD

We aimed to improve the accuracy of OEF mapping by using multi-delay arterial spin labeling based on quantitative susceptibility mapping plus quantitative blood oxygen level-dependent magnitude (QSM+qBOLD, or QQ). 3D multi-echo gradient-echo and ASL sequence were performed in 7 healthy subjects. ROIs analysis and paired t-test compared QQ with single-delay ASL and QQ with multi-delay ASL. QQ with multi-delay ASL shows smaller OEFs than QQ with single-delay ASL method. Corresponding OEFs were 38.9±3.4% and 39.6±3.4% (P<0.01) in gray matter, 39.7±2.9% and 40.2±2.9% in whole brain(P<0.01), respectively. Our study suggests that QQ with multi-delay ASL provides more accurate OEF than QQ with single-delay ASL, which may have potential in the use of clinical diseases.