title: Fast spectroscopic imaging strategies for potential applications in fMRI.
abstract: Technical aspects of two general fast spectroscopic imaging (SI) strategies, one based on gradient echo trains and the other on spin echo trains, are reviewed within the context of potential applications in the field of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Fast spectroscopic imaging of water may prove useful for identifying mechanisms underlying the blood oxygenation level dependence (BOLD) of the water signal during brain activation studies. Reasonably rapid mapping of changes in proton signals from brain metabolites, like lactate, creatine or even neurotransmitter associated metabolites like GABA, is substantially more challenging but technically feasible particularly as higher field strengths become available. Fast spectroscopic methods directed towards the 31P signals from phosphocreatine (PCr) and adenosine tri-phosphates (ATP) are also technically feasible and may prove useful for studying cerebral energetics within fMRI contexts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. robert.mulkern@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Mulkern
authors.forename: Nan-kuei
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshio
authors.forename: Lawrence P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Panych
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rybicki
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambarota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016477:Artifacts; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D001834:Body Water / Q000737:chemistry; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis; D003401:Creatine / Q000032:analysis; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000032:analysis; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline; D010100:Oxygen