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Whole Brain 1H-Spectroscopy: A Developing Technique for Advanced Analysis of Cerebral Metabolism

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Abstract

Objective

Accompanying the advance of neuroscientific research and modern therapeutic methods, efforts have been made to develop more practical and effective advanced magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic techniques.

Methods

We present a brief overview on 1H-MRS techniques in neuroradiological diagnosis and several application examples of recently reported whole brain MR spectroscopic imaging technique (wbMRSI).

Results

Despite the benefits of using established 1H-MRS techniques both single voxel MR spectroscopy (SVS) and chemical shift imaging (CSI) techniques suffer from limited spatial coverage. It is always necessary to define prior to the MRS examination which brain structure is physiologically or pathologically involved and thus should be targeted with 1H-MRS. In contrast, the advanced wbMRSI allows estimating metabolite changes within a much larger brain region and at multiple brain structures simultaneously.

Conclusions

As a developing technique for advanced analysis of cerebral metabolism a wide application of the wbMRSI in both clinical diagnostics and neuroscience could be expected.

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Acknowledgments

This work is partially support by German Research Foundation (DFG).

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany

    X.-Q. Ding & H. Lanfermann

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  1. X.-Q. Ding
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  2. H. Lanfermann
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Correspondence to X.-Q. Ding.

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Ding, XQ., Lanfermann, H. Whole Brain 1H-Spectroscopy: A Developing Technique for Advanced Analysis of Cerebral Metabolism. Clin Neuroradiol 25 (Suppl 2), 245–250 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-015-0428-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-015-0428-5

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