Abstract #4309

Feasibility of Non-Invasive Quantitative MRI Measurements of Cerebral Vascular Reactivity using a Computer Controlled Stimulus in Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Andrea Kassner^1,2, Jackie Leung², Fatima Nathoo³, Stephanie Dorner⁴, Joseph A. Fisher⁵, Manohar Shroff², Gabrielle de Veber⁶, Suzan Williams⁷

¹Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ²Diagnostic Imaging, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ³Respiratory therapy, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ⁴Thornhill Research Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ⁵Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ⁶Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ⁷Hematology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the major cause of stroke in children leading to mortality or long-term disability. A noninvasive means of measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF) reserve would facilitate assessment and clinical management of these patients. BOLD MRI has been used as a surrogate for CBF changes in response to a vasoactive stimulus such as partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2). However, within the pediatric population, CVR studies are not common. We imaged 11 SCD patients using a system able to target end-tidal PCO2 in synchrony with BOLD MRI, and found a strong concordance between CVR and angiographic findings.