Arterial spin-labeling in routine clinical practice, part 3: hyperperfusion patterns

Arterial spin-labeled (ASL) perfusion imaging can be implemented successfully into a routine clinical neuroimaging protocol and can accurately demonstrate alterations in brain perfusion. We have observed patterns of focal, regional, and global hyperperfusion in a wide variety of disease processes. The causes of hyperperfusion at clinical ASL have not been previously characterized. Focal lesions such as brain tumors and vascular malformations with increased perfusion can be well depicted by ASL. More global causes of hyperperfusion, including postanoxia vasodilation and hypercapnia, may go undetected on conventional MR images, whereas the regional hyperperfusion, which may occur in reversible encephalopathies and luxury perfusion, has been consistently illustrated on ASL cerebral blood flow maps at our institution.