Proton MR spectroscopic imaging of the medulla and cervical spinal cord

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of quantitative, one-dimensional proton MR spectroscopic imaging (1D-MRSI) of the upper cervical spine and medulla at 3.0 Tesla. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A method was developed for 1D-point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (PRESS)-MRSI, exciting signal in five voxels extending from the pontomedullary junction to the level of the C3 vertebra, and performed in 10 healthy volunteers to generate control data. RESULTS: High-resolution 1D-MRSI data were obtained from all 10 subjects. Upper cervical spine concentrations of choline, creatine, and N-acetyl aspartate were estimated to be 2.8 +/- 0.5, 8.8 +/- 1.8, and 10.9 +/- 2.7 mM, respectively, while in the medulla they were 2.6 +/- 0.5, 9.1 +/- 1.7, and 10.8 +/- 0.9 mM. CONCLUSION: Quantitative 1D-MRSI of the upper cervical spine has been shown to be feasible at 3.0 Tesla.