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Wesołowski, Roman (2010) Development of arterial spin labelling methods for monitoring cerebral haemodynamics. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

The work described in this thesis was carried out at the Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre at the University of Nottingham between March 2006 and December 2009. All work described in this thesis was performed by the author, except where indicated. This thesis aims to develop and implement ASL techniques to measure haemodynamic responses to neural activity.

The development of a new technique Double Acquisition Background Suppression (DABS) is presented as a remedy for a newly discovered artefact affecting Philips Achieva 7 T scanners and other sources of variation in baseline signals such as physiological noise. The new technique (DABS) was developed for simultaneous acquisition of ASL (with suppressed static tissue signal) and BOLD data using the FAIR scheme. This method not only provided a solution to obtaining ASL data at 7 T, despite the Roman Artefact, but also proved to reduce the contribution of physiological noise to ASL images, which is problematic, especially at ultra-high magnetic field strengths. The statistical verification was carried out based on the neural activation induced by a finger-tapping stimulus.

A simplified model for quantifying CBVa.with the Look-Locker sampling method is proposed in this thesis to overcome the need for the Step-wise Compartmental Model (SCM). The Look-Locker sampling scheme acquires multiple readout pulses following the labelling and provides an estimation of transit time as well as CBVa.. Here the simplified model is used to assess changes due to visual stimulation and validated against the SCM model.

The application of LL-FAIR to form CBF and CBVa weighted data with improved SNR compared to traditional single TI FAIR technique is then shown. This method uses a summation over LL-EPI readout pulses and is used to asses the temporal characteristics and absolute changes in CBF and CBVa haemodynamic responses to a short (4.8 s) and long (9.6 s) visual stimulus.

LL-FAIR methods are then used to appraise the neural coupling of haemodynamic parameters and assess Grubb's relationship. CBF and CBVa. Data were collected together with CBVtot data from a bolus injection of contrast agent. Assessing Grubb's power-law (CBVtot = CBFCI:)for neuronal activation, which was originally derived in primates during a steady state response of hypercapnia, a was found in this human study to be between 0.22 ± 0.08 and 0.29, dependent on the analysis method. In addition, the power-law relationship between CBVtot and CBVa.was assessed, and resulted in a similar relation, yielding aTA = 0.42 ± 0.14 and 0.40. Since CBF is thought to be driven by CBVa.the power-law between these parameters was also tested with a value of aFA = 1.35 ± 0.64 and 1.21, found in close agreement with earlier animal work.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Francis, S.T. Gowland, P.A.
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics > QC501 Electricity and magnetism Q Science > QH Natural history. Biology > QH301 Biology (General)
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Physics and Astronomy
Item ID:	13854
Depositing User:	EP, Services
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2013 10:18
Last Modified:	27 Dec 2017 17:54
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/13854

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