Proton NMR imaging of cerebral blood flow using H2(17)O

Cerebral blood flow was quantitatively mapped by monitoring the cerebral washout of H2(17)O using rapid, single-shot proton NMR imaging. H2(17)O acts as a freely diffusible contrast agent for proton imaging via its scalar-coupled term, enhancing T2 relaxation. Measured values for CBF ranged from 29 to 106 ml/min/100 g over a range of arterial pCO2 between 23 and 81 Torr.