A technique for quantitative measurement of myocardial blood flow using a combination of bolus tracking and time-registered helical multidetector CT angiography during adenosine stress

Materials and Methods: Nine canine models of left anterior descending artery stenosis were prepared and underwent MDCT perfusion imaging during adenosine infusion to study a wide range of flow parameters. Neutron-activated microspheres were injected to document MBF during adenosine infusion. Six animals underwent dynamic MDCT perfusion imaging, and K1 and k2 (which represent the first-order transfer constants from left ventricular blood to myocardium and from myocardium to the vascular system, respectively) were measured using a two-compartment model. The results were compared against microsphere MBF measurements, and the extraction fraction (E) of contrast agent and the mean value of K1/k2 were calculated. Six animals then underwent helical CT perfusion imaging, and neutron-activated microspheres were injected to document MBF during adenosine infusion. For each animal, based on E, K1/k2, time-registered helical CT myocardial data, and arterial input function data, tables of myocardial CT values versus MBF were simulated for various MBF values to create look-up tables from the myocardial CT value to MBF. The CT-derived MBF values were compared against the microsphere MBF measurements.