In vivo T2 relaxation time measurement with echo‐time averaging

The accuracy of metabolite concentrations measured using in vivo proton (¹H) MRS is enhanced following correction for spin–spin (T₂) relaxation effects. In addition, metabolite proton T₂ relaxation times provide unique information regarding cellular environment and molecular mobility. Echo‐time (TE) averaging ¹H MRS involves the collection and averaging of multiple TE steps, which greatly simplifies resulting spectra due to the attenuation of spin‐coupled and macromolecule resonances. Given the simplified spectral appearance and inherent metabolite T₂ relaxation information, the aim of the present proof‐of‐concept study was to develop a novel data processing scheme to estimate metabolite T₂ relaxation times from TE‐averaged ¹H MRS data. Spectral simulations are used to validate the proposed TE‐averaging methods for estimating methyl proton T₂ relaxation times for N‐acetyl aspartate, total creatine, and choline‐containing compounds. The utility of the technique and its reproducibility are demonstrated using data obtained in vivo from the posterior‐occipital cortex of 10 healthy control subjects. Compared with standard methods, distinct advantages of this approach include built‐in macromolecule resonance attenuation, in vivo T₂ estimates closer to reported values when maximum TE ≈ T₂, and the potential for T₂ calculation of metabolite resonances otherwise inseparable in standard ¹H MRS spectra recorded in vivo. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.