A novel MRI analysis for assessment of microvascular vasomodulation in low-perfusion skeletal muscle

Compromised microvascular reactivity underlies many conditions and injuries, but its assessment remains difficult, particularly in low perfusion tissues. In this paper, we develop a new mathematical model for the assessment of vasomodulation in low perfusion settings. A first-order model was developed to approximate changes in T 1 relaxation times as a result of vasomodulation. Healthy adult rats ( N = 6) were imaged on a 3-Tesla clinical MRI scanner, and vasoactive response was probed on gadofosveset using hypercapnic gases at 20