In vivo spatially localized high resolution 1H MRS via intermolecular single‐quantum coherence of rat brain at 7 T

Purpose:

To compare the conventional localized point‐resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) with localized 2D intermolecular single‐quantum coherence (iSQC) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and obtain in vivo MRS spectrum of rat brain using the latter technique.

Materials and Methods:

A brain phantom, an intact pig brain tissue, and mature Sprague–Dawley rat were studied by PRESS, Nano magic‐angle spinning spectroscopy, and iSQC MRS.

Results:

Using PRESS, high‐resolution MRS can be obtained from the brain phantom and pig brain tissue with a small voxel in a relatively homogeneous field. When a large voxel is selected, the field homogeneity is distinctly reduced. No useful information is obtained from the PRESS spectra. However, using the iSQC MRS, high‐resolution spectra can be obtained from the two samples with a relatively large voxel. In the same way, an iSQC MRS spectrum can be obtained from a relatively large voxel of in vivo rat brain with a comparable resolution to the PRESS spectrum with a small voxel.

Conclusion:

Compared to PRESS, the iSQC MRS may be more feasible and promising for detection of strongly structured tissues with relatively large voxels. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:359–364. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.