Parameter estimation in arterial spin labeling MRI: comparing the Four Phase model and the Buxton model with Fourier transform.

This paper presents a comparison between two algorithms that analyze and extract brain perfusion parameters from pulsed arterial spin labeling (ASL). One algorithm is based on the Four Phase Single Capillary Stepwise (FPSCS) model, which divides the time course of the signal difference between the control and labeled image into four phases. The other algorithm utilizes the Buxton model and Fourier transformation (FTB). Both algorithms are implemented on MATLAB to extract the bolus arrival time (BAT) and the cerebral blood flow (CBF). Current results show that the FTB algorithm has similar estimations of the BAT and CBF compared to the FPSCS model with generally faster processing speeds.