Brain regional distribution pattern of metabolite signal intensities in young adults by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is evolving from single-volume localized acquisitions to multiple-volume acquisitions using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI). The normal regional patterns of 1H-MRSI-detectable metabolite signal intensities have yet to be established. We studied 13 healthy young adults with a multiple-section 1H-MRSI technique. The metabolite signals measured were N-acetylaspartate (NA), choline-containing compounds (CHO), creatine-phosphocreatine (CRE), and lactate. Ten neuroanatomic regions (nine bilateral) were identified in gray matter, white matter, and basal nuclei. Analysis of the data led to the following conclusions: (1) NA and CHO signals from centrum semiovale (CSO) can be used as a normalizing factor to reduce intersubject variability due to external causes; (2) in normal human brain, there is no left versus right asymmetry in the regions studied; (3) statistically significant patterns of signal distribution of NA, CHO, and CRE can be identified in normal human brain; and (4) CSO-normalized metabolite signal intensities and metabolite ratios complement each other for the detection of significant regional differences.
Tedeschi
G
G
Neuroimaging Branch, NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Bertolino
A
A
Righini
A
A
Campbell
G
G
Raman
R
R
Duyn
J H
JH
Moonen
C T
CT
Alger
J R
JR
Di Chiro
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000032:analysis; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000032:analysis; D011522:Protons; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
D007773:Lactates; D011522:Protons; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D002794:Choline