Voxel-Specific Brain Arterial Input Functions from DSC-MRI and Blind Deconvolution in a Group of Healthy Males

Renate Gruner^1,2, Hkon Nordli¹, Gunnar Moen¹, Torfinn Taxt^1,2

Voxel specific arterial input functions were estimated in a group of 44 healthy males using a recently published blind deconvolution approach in order to investigate how the estimated functions varied across participants and brain regions. Qualitatively, variations in arterial input functions were consistent with expectations of normal vascular supply. The quantitative differences in the arterial input functions between brain regions suggested that the functions could be useful in reducing delay and dispersion effects in cerebral flow estimates. Differences in delays and dispersion were larger within one brain region across participants, than across regions within one participant.