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Fast water concentration mapping to normalize 1H MR spectroscopic imaging

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Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Object

To propose a fast and robust acquisition and post-processing pipeline that is time-compatible with clinical explorations to obtain a proton density (ρ) map used as a reference for metabolic map normalization. This allows inter-subject and inter-group comparisons of magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data and longitudinal follow-up for single subjects.

Materials and methods

A multi-echo T *2 mapping sequence, the XEP sequence for B +1 -mapping and Driven Equilibrium Single Pulse Observation of T 1—an optimized variable flip angle method for T 1 mapping used for both B −1 -mapping and M 0 calculation—were used to determine correction factors leading to quantitative water proton density maps at 3T. Normalized metabolite maps were obtained on a phantom and nine healthy volunteers. To show the potential use of this technique at the individual level, we also explored one patient with low-grade glioma.

Results

Accurate ρ maps were obtained both on phantom and volunteers. After signal normalization with the generated ρ maps, metabolic concentrations determined by the present method differed from theory by <7 % in the phantom and were in agreement with data from the literature for the healthy controls. Using these normalized metabolic values, it was possible to demonstrate in the patient with brain glioma, metabolic abnormalities in normalized N-acetyl aspartate, choline and creatine levels; illustrating the potential for direct use of this technique in clinical studies.

Conclusion

The proposed combination of sequences provides a robust ρ map that can be used to normalize metabolic maps in clinical MRSI studies.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Angèle Viola for the preparation of phantoms. Angèle Lecocq is the recipient of a PhD Grant (CIFRE) supported by Siemens France and the French Ministry of Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale, CRMBM, UMR 7339, CNRS, Faculté de Médecine de la Timone, Aix-Marseille Université, 23, Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, Cedex 05, France

    Angèle Lecocq, Yann Le Fur, Patrick J. Cozzone, Maxime Guye & Jean-Philippe Ranjeva

  2. UNIRS/Neurospin/I2BM/DSV/CEA, Gif sur Yvette, France

    Alexis Amadon & Alexandre Vignaud

  3. APHM, Hôpitaux de la Timone, Pôle d’imagerie médicale, CEMEREM, 13385, Marseille, France

    Maxime Guye

Authors
  1. Angèle Lecocq
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  2. Yann Le Fur
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  3. Alexis Amadon
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  4. Alexandre Vignaud
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  5. Patrick J. Cozzone
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Correspondence to Jean-Philippe Ranjeva.

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Lecocq, A., Le Fur, Y., Amadon, A. et al. Fast water concentration mapping to normalize 1H MR spectroscopic imaging. Magn Reson Mater Phy 28, 87–100 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-014-0451-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-014-0451-6

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