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Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine 3/2015

01-06-2015 | Research Article

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the healthy human brain at 9.4 T: initial experience

Authors: Grzegorz L. Chadzynski, Rolf Pohmann, Gunamony Shajan, Rupert Kolb, Sotirios Bisdas, Uwe Klose, Klaus Scheffler

Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine | Issue 3/2015

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Abstract

Object

In this study, the feasibility of in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H MRSI) of the healthy human brain at a field strength of 9.4 T, using conventional acquisition techniques, is examined and the initial experience is summarized.

Materials and methods

MRSI measurements were performed on a 9.4 T MR scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) equipped with head-only gradient insert (AC84, Siemens) and custom-developed, 8-channel transmit/24-channel receive, and 16-channel transmit/31-channel receive coils. Spectra were acquired from the superior part of the human brain with a modified STEAM sequence. Spectral quantification was done with LCModel software.

Results

Reasonable quality and signal-to-noise ratio of the acquired spectra allowed reliable quantification of 12 metabolites (Cramer-Rao lower bounds < 20 %), some of which may be difficult to quantify at field strengths below 7 T due to overlapping resonances or low concentrations.

Conclusion

While further developments are necessary to minimize chemical shift displacement and homogeneity of the transmit field, it is demonstrated that in vivo 1H MRSI at a field strength of 9.4 T is possible. However, further studies applying up-to-date techniques to overcome high-field specific problems are needed in order to assess the potential gain in sensitivity that may be offered by MRSI at 9.4 T.
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Metadata
Title
In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the healthy human brain at 9.4 T: initial experience
Authors
Grzegorz L. Chadzynski
Rolf Pohmann
Gunamony Shajan
Rupert Kolb
Sotirios Bisdas
Uwe Klose
Klaus Scheffler
Publication date
01-06-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 0968-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1352-8661
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-014-0460-5

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