Short echo time MR spectroscopic imaging of the lung parenchyma.
OBJECTIVE
To perform short echo time MR spectroscopic imaging of the lung parenchyma on normal volunteers.


METHODS
A short echo time projection-reconstruction spectroscopic imaging sequence was implemented on a commercial 1.5T whole body MRI scanner. Images and spectra of the lung parenchyma were obtained from five normal volunteers. Breath-held spectroscopic imaging was also performed.


RESULTS
Spectroscopic imaging of short-T2* species allows visualization of different anatomic structures based upon their frequency shifts. A characteristic peak from the parenchyma was seen at three ppm from water frequency.


CONCLUSIONS
Short echo time MR spectroscopic imaging of the lung parenchyma was demonstrated in normal volunteers. This method may improve proton imaging of the lungs and add specificity to the diagnosis of pulmonary disease.
Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. gold@mrsrl.stanford.edu
Garry E
GE
Gold
John M
JM
Pauly
Ann N
AN
Leung
Walter F
WF
Block
Craig H
CH
Meyer
Raymond
R
Sze
Albert
A
Macovski
Paul
P
Stark
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012016:Reference Values