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Methodology of Clinical MRS: Technical Challenges and Solutions

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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Degenerative Brain Diseases

Part of the book series: Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience ((CCNE))

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Abstract

For certain applications in the brain, proton MRS has evolved from a research tool into a clinically viable application, useful for studying diseases and clinically relevant disease parameters. It is however technically challenging to obtain high-quality MR spectra and precisely measure subtle neurochemical changes in degenerative brain diseases. In this chapter these technical challenges will be discussed and potential solutions will be outlined. After introducing the sensitivity challenge of MRS, different methods for localization of a volume of interest are summarized. Subsequently, solutions to suppress the large water signal and unwanted residual signals from outside the volume of interest are discussed together with shimming, culminating in a description of the different calibration steps covering all these issues and an overview of methods for estimating metabolite concentrations from MRS data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, Nijmegen, GA, 6525, The Netherlands

    Bart W. J. Philips M.D. & Tom W. Scheenen Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Bart W. J. Philips M.D.
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  2. Tom W. Scheenen Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tom W. Scheenen Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota Medical School, Center Magnetic Resonance Research University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Gülin Öz

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Philips, B.W.J., Scheenen, T.W. (2016). Methodology of Clinical MRS: Technical Challenges and Solutions. In: Öz, G. (eds) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Degenerative Brain Diseases. Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33555-1_3

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