Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: Perfusion, Image acquisition: Sequences
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a non-invasive MRI technique for cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement by utilizing magnetically labeled blood as an endogenous tracer. This educational lecture will introduce the basics of ASL acquisition, including labeling schemes, imaging readout, single- and multi-PLD acquisitions, background suppression, and recommended imaging parameters for clinical applications. It will also cover some advanced ASL topics, such as MR fingerprinting ASL, vessel-selective ASL, body ASL, and ASL-based MRA.