Background and aim Arterial spin labelling (ASL) is a MR technique to assess brain perfusion without necessity of intravascular administered MR contrast [1]. Our aim was to obtain age dependent normal paediatric values of brain perfusion.

Methods In this retrospective study we included children aged 1–14 years recruited from our MRI database, collected from 2012–2014. In each age group 6 individuals were included having a normal MRI scan. All children were scanned on a 1,5 T MRI scanner (GE). A pseudo continuous ASL technique was used. Exclusion criteria were: congenital abnormalities, brain lesions, meningitis, scan artefacts. Measurement sites were cerebellar hemispheres, vermis, basal ganglia, thalamus and all lobes, using a postprocessing tool.

Results Perfusion values of thalami and basal ganglia appeared fairly constant at different ages. An increase of perfusion was noted in the cerebellar hemispheres from 3 years of age. The cerebellar vermis showed a relative high perfusion in all ages. A slight progressive increase of perfusion was seen at the level of the temporal and occipital lobes without a specific peak. A progressive increase of perfusion was noted at the level of the frontal lobes and parietal lobes. In general, we found a considerable inter-individual variability, without significant variations between genders.

Conclusions ASL shows an age dependence of cerebral perfusion. This normative data can help to identify abnormal cerebral perfusion, which may lead to diagnoses or a better understanding of the neurological presentation of a child.

1. Biagi et al. 2007.

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Abstract O-011 Figure 1