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rCBF (Watabe Ref): Method without Blood Sampling

The rCBF (Watabe) model was intended for the quantitative assessment of the regional cerebral blood flow. The only required measurement is a dynamic PET acquisition after the injection of a H215O bolus, obviating the need for blood sampling. What is required instead are the time-activity curves of two cerebral regions - a low-flow and a high-flow region. By comparing the TACs of these regions their flows (f1, f2) and distribution volumes (DV1, DV2) can be estimated. Then, the TAC from each pixel can be compared to that of the low-flow region. Its flow and distribution volume are hereby estimated, whereby the previously obtained parameter values of the low-flow region (f1, DV1) and a fixed DV are contained in the calculation prescription.

CAUTION: With practical data it has turned out that the fitting is too dependent on the initial parameter values and does not provide sufficiently stable results.