Multisection proton MR spectroscopic imaging of the brain.

Abstract

The authors developed a hydrogen-1 proton magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method in which metabolic information is acquired by obtaining multiple sections through the brain. A spin-echo sequence is used for section selection, an octangular outer volume saturation pulse for lipid suppression, and a chemical-shift-selective saturation pulse for water suppression. High-quality maps of choline, creatine, and N-acetylaspartate were obtained in six studies performed in four volunteers. Water and lipid signal from the skull area was well suppressed by the pulse sequence used.