title: Optimal timing for in vivo 1H-MR spectroscopic imaging of the human prostate at 3T.
abstract: Proton MR spectroscopic imaging ((1)H-MRSI) of the human prostate, which has an interesting clinical potential, may be improved by increasing the magnetic field strength from 1.5T to 3T. Both theoretical and practical considerations are necessary to optimize the pulse timing for spectroscopic imaging of the human prostate at 3T. For in vivo detection of the strongly coupled spin system of citrate, not only should the spectral shape of the signal be easy to identify, but the timing used should produce MR signals at reasonably short echo times (TEs). In this study the spectral shape of the methylene protons of citrate was simulated with density matrix calculations and checked with phantom measurements. Different calculated optimal spectral shapes were measured in patients with prostate cancer with a 2D spectroscopic imaging sequence. T(1) and T(2) relaxation times were calculated for citrate and choline, the two major metabolites of interest in the prostate. We conclude that the optimum timing for in vivo point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) imaging at 3T is an interpulse timing sequence of 90 degrees-25 ms-180 degrees- 37.5 ms-180 degrees-12.5 ms-echo. A short repetition time (TR) of 750 ms partially saturates choline signals, but increases the SNR per unit time for citrate, and accommodates a maximum number of weighted averages of an elliptically sampled k-space for accurate localization and minimal contamination of the individual spectra. This is illustrated by means of a 3D spectroscopic imaging experiment in a complete prostate in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands. T.Scheenen@rad.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Tom W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Scheenen
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambarota
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weiland
authors.forename: Dennis W J
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Klomp
authors.forename: Jurgen J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fütterer
authors.forename: Jelle O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Barentsz
authors.forename: Arend
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heerschap
mesh_terms: D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
chemical_list: D019343:Citric Acid; D002794:Choline