Peter S. LaViolette1,
Mitchell Daun2, Alexander D. Cohen3, Jennifer Connelley2,
Kathleen M. Schmainda1
1Radiology,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 2Neurology,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 3Biophysics,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
Recently a new biomarker of brain tumor vascularity has been described. Independent component analysis is applied to DSC perfusion imaging to separate arterial and venous components. The overlap of these components (i.e. arterio-venous overlap, or AVOL) occurs preferentially in enhancing neoplastic vasculature. This study finds that a preload of contrast agent is necessary to measure AVOL by comparing the amount of AVOL within tumor contrast enhancement derived from both the preload and second dose of contrast agent. T1 Leakage effects confound AVOL measurements during the first dose.