Accurate derivation of a vascular input function (VIF) is essential for pharmacokinetic modeling of brain DCE-MRI data. In this patient study we compared VIFs extracted from either the internal carotid artery (ICA) and its branches or the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). We demonstrate that plasma gadolinium based contrast-agent (GBCA) concentration-time curves during the 1st-pass of the bolus are equivalent in shape in both the ICA and SSS; and that compared to large intracranial arteries the SSS is able to provide a superior global VIF, with lower noise, higher peak-amplitude and demonstrably greater sensitivity to inter-individual changes in plasma GBCA concentration.
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