Molar quantitation of in vivo proton metabolites in human brain with 3D magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging

Magn Reson Imaging. 1994;12(4):661-7. doi: 10.1016/0730-725x(94)92461-9.

Abstract

A method for molar quantitation of in vivo proton metabolites in human brain with three-dimensional (3D) proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is described. The method relies on comparison of brain and calibration phantom measurements, with corrections for coil loading, and spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times. A 3D proton MRSI pulse sequence was developed which acquires two echoes and enables acquisition of both the TMS coil loading reference phantom and proton metabolite signals from a single experiment. With the aqueous fraction (tissue water) taken into account, the calculated molar concentrations from 24 centrum semiovale white matter voxels from 4 control subjects were (mmol/l +/- SD): N-acetyl aspartate = 14.6 +/- 2.8, total creatine+phosphocreatine = 6.0 +/- 1.2, total choline = 1.9 +/- 0.4. These values are equivalent to previously reported results obtained from single volume localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Aspartic Acid / analysis
  • Brain Chemistry*
  • Choline / analysis
  • Creatine / analysis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Lactates / analysis
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Male
  • Phosphocreatine / analysis

Substances

  • Lactates
  • Phosphocreatine
  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-acetylaspartate
  • Creatine
  • Choline