Reliable blood-brain barrier water exchange estimates in the rat brain using a crusher-compensated exchange rate (CCXR) model

Filter exchange imaging (FEXI) is a promising technique for measuring water exchange across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, the application of FEXI for the rodent brain requires thinner slices and therefore higher crusher gradients which lead to a progressive underestimation of the apparent exchange rate (AXR). Here, we implement a crusher-compensated exchange rate (CCXR) model which reduces the bias induced by the crusher gradients and allows more accurate estimates of BBB water exchange in the rat brain.