Abstract
For many clinical applications of proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain, diagnostic assessment is limited by insufficient coverage provided by single- or multislice acquisition methods as well as by the use of volume preselection methods. Additionally, traditional spectral analysis methods may limit the operator to detailed analysis of only a few selected brain regions. It is therefore highly desirable to use a fully 3D approach, combined with spectral analysis procedures that enable automated assessment of 3D metabolite distributions over the whole brain. In this study, a 3D echo-planar MRSI technique has been implemented without volume preselection to provide sufficient spatial resolution with maximum coverage of the brain. Using MRSI acquisitions in normal subjects at 1.5T and a fully automated spectral analysis procedure, an assessment of the resultant spectral quality and the extent of viable data in human brain was carried out. The analysis found that 69% of brain voxels were obtained with acceptable spectral quality at TE = 135 ms, and 52% at TE = 25 ms. Most of the rejected voxels were located near the sinuses or temporal bones and demonstrated poor Bo homogeneity and additional regions were affected by stronger lipid contamination at TE = 25 ms.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1072-1078 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Magnetic Resonance in Medicine |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2001 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- 3D
- Automated spectral analysis
- Human brain
- MRSI
- Proton NMR spectroscopic imaging
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Radiological and Ultrasound Technology