Reference

The rBV (Autorad) model is implemented according to the publication of Mintun, et al. [17]. In the abstract, they write:

"We have developed, implemented, and validated a method for the measurement of the local cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO₂) with positron emission tomography (PET). We use data from a single inhalation of ¹⁵O-labeled CO for cerebral blood volume (CBV), an intravenous injection of H₂¹⁵O for cerebral blood flow (CBF), and a single inhalation of ¹⁵O₂ for the final calculation of CMRO₂ and the extraction of oxygen (E). The mathematical model used to analyze the data consists of two compartments and accounts for production and egress of water metabolism in the tissue, recirculating water of metabolism, and the arterial, venous, and capillary contents of ¹⁵O₂ in the brain. We validated our technique in baboons by comparing the PET-measured E with E measured using an intracarotid injection of ¹⁵O₂. The correlation between these two techniques was excellent. Mathematical simulations were done to examine the effect of errors in CBV, CBF, and recirculating water of metabolism on the measurement of E and CMRO₂. The technique was implemented on five normal human subjects in whom the global CMRO₂ was 2.93 +/- 0.37 (s.d.) ml/min X 100 g."

Note: The main focus of the cited reference is the calculation of regional brain oxygen extraction (CMRO₂). That model requires the pixel-wise knowledge of the rBV and the rCBF. These functional maps could be determined with models supported in this software. The calculation of the CMRO₂, however, is currently not available.