Quantitative brain proton MR spectroscopy based on measurement of the relaxation time T1 of water.
OBJECTIVE
To provide a straightforward method for metabolite quantitation in the brain. Tissue water concentration can be determined in a voxel by measuring T(1) and it may provide an internal reference for the calculation of the metabolite concentrations.


METHODS
Water-suppressed stimulated echo acquisition mode spectra were obtained at 1.5T, and the tissue water content was calculated from T(1).


RESULTS
The calculated water content values demonstrated very good agreement with literature data. Metabolite concentrations (mmol/liter) in the gray and white matter: N-acetyl-aspartate = 14.02 +/- 1.93, creatine = 9.98 +/- 1.03, and choline = 1.14 +/- 0.24; N-acetyl-aspartate = 11.08 +/- 2.24, creatine = 7.83 +/- 0.66, and choline = 2.05 +/- 0.38, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The water content calculated from T(1) can yield an internal reference in MR spectroscopy, and the accurate measurement of metabolite concentrations is feasible. The proposed method is simple and can readily be applied in any MR center without the need for complicated corrections or calibration procedures.
Bajzik
Gábor
G
Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Oncology, University of Kaposvár, 40 Guba Sándor Street, Kaposvár, Hungary. bajzik.gabor@sic.hu
Auer
Tibor
T
Bogner
Péter
P
Aradi
Miklós
M
Kotek
Gyula
G
Repa
Imre
I
Doczi
Tamas
T
Schwarcz
Attila
A
D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
D014764:Viral Proteins; C079287:scaffold protein, Herpes simplex virus-1; D014867:Water