• Philipp Heusch, Hans-Jörg Wittsack, Dirk Blondin, Alexandra Ljimani, Michael Nguyen-Quang, Petros Martirosian, Hakan Zenginli, Philip Bilk, Patric Kröpil, Till A Heusner, Gerald Antoch, and Rotem S Lanzman.
• University Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Dusseldorf, Germany.
• J Magn Reson Imaging. 2014 Jul 1; 40 (1): 84-9.

PurposeTo investigate non-contrast-enhanced arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI for functional assessment of transplanted kidneys at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3T.Materials And MethodsThis study was approved by the local ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ninety eight renal allograft recipients (mean age, 51.5 ± 14.6 years) were prospectively included in this study. ASL MRI was performed at 1.5T (n = 65) and 3T (n = 33) using a single-slice flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery true-fast imaging with steady-state precession (FAIR True-FISP) sequence in the paracoronal plane. ASL perfusion was regional analyzed for the renal cortex on parameter maps. ASL was compared between patients with good or moderate allograft function (Group a; estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] > 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and patients with heavily impaired allograft function (Group b; eGFR ≤ 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and correlated to renal function as determined by eGFR.ResultsASL perfusion and eGFR were comparable at 1.5T (246.9 ± 66.8 mL/100 g/min and 41.9 ± 22.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and 3T (236.5 ± 102.3 mL/100 g/min and 35.9 ± 22.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). ASL perfusion was significantly higher in group a (282.7 ± 60.8 mL/100 g/min) as compared to group b (178.2 ± 63.3 mL/100 g/min) (P < 0.0001). ASL perfusion values exhibited a significant correlation with renal function as determined by eGFR (r = 0.59; P < 0.0001).ConclusionCortical ASL perfusion values differ between patients with good or moderate allograft function and poor allograft function and correlate significantly with allograft function. Our results highlight the potential of ASL MRI for functional evaluation of renal allografts.© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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