Grading of skull base meningiomas by combined perfusion: arterial spin labeling and T2* dynamic susceptibility perfusion

Abstract Background Conventional MRI has no distinction between high- and low-grade meningiomas, which has a crucial for choice of therapeutic plan, especially skull base meningiomas which need more meticulous endoscopy-approached surgery. The aim of our study was to evaluate role of perfusion by arterial spin labeling and dynamic susceptibility perfusion in grading of skull base meningiomas. Results The relative arterial spin labeling (ASL), tumor blood flow (TBF), and tumor blood volume (TBV) ratios showed significant differences between low- and high-grade meningiomas. Conclusions MRI perfusion is a useful in differentiation between low- and high-grade meningiomas. There is significant correlation between ASL and DSC perfusion supporting possibility of using ASL in clinical practice as an alternative technique to DSC perfusion, particularly for patients with renal impairment where no contrast injection needed.