Comparison of arterial spin labeling and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MR imaging for the preoperation evaluation of tumor grade in brain gliomas

Objective:To compare the arterial spin labeling and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MR imaging and explore the clinical application of arterial spin labeling(ASL) technique in the preoperation of tumor grade in brain gliomas.Methods:Twenty-three patients with gliomas(all the cases were verified histologically,including 17 patients of high-grade gliomas,6 patients of low-grade gliomas) were routinely examined by 3.0 T MRI including ASL and DSC before operation.The maximal cerebral blood flow of solid regions of tumor(TBFmax) and the cerebral blood flow of opposite white matter,opposite grey matter and opposite hemisphere were measured on maps.Results:All of 23 cases demonstrated agreement between ASL and DSC MR imagings.The ratio of TBFmax/ opposite white matter CBF,TBFmax/opposite grey matter CBF,TBFmax/opposite hemisphere CBF revealed no statistically significant between the two techniques.But there was statistical difference between high-grade and low-grade gliomas.The threshold of TBFmax/opposite white matter CBF,TBFmax/opposite grey matter CBF,TBF max/opposite hemisphere CBF were 3.06,0.46 and 1.31 respectively,the diagnosis sensibility were 100%,88.2% and 100% respectively,and the specificity were 83.3%,83.3% and 100% respectively by ASL technique.Conclusion:The noninvasive and repeatable ASL technique was almost as sensitive as DSC MRI in detecting brain gliomas perfusing abnormalities.It is helpful to give the grade of gliomas before operation.