Evaluation of tumor blood flow after feeder embolization in meningiomas by arterial spin-labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Preoperative embolization changes the amount of blood flow and pattern of flow distribution in meningioma. Tumor blood flow was investigated in eight meningioma patients before and after embolization using arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging. Although blood flow was significantly reduced in the whole tumor after embolization, changes in flow distribution patterns varied from one case to another. The findings suggest that evaluation of post-embolization tumor blood flow by ASL perfusion imaging would be useful in the surgical planning of meningioma.

Keywords: ASL; Arterial spin-labeling; BBB; CT; DSC; ECA; Embolization; ICA; MMA; MRI; Meningioma; Perfusion imaging; ROI; T/N ratio; Tumor blood flow; arterial spin-labeling; blood–brain barrier; computed tomography; dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion imaging; external carotid artery; internal carotid artery; magnetic resonance imaging; middle meningeal artery; region of interest; tumor/normal ratio.