2D-spatial/2D-spectral spectroscopic imaging of intracerebral gliomas in rat brain

1H-MR spectroscopy in vivo is often hampered by poor spectral resolution. Spectral overlap can be avoided with two-dimensional spectroscopic techniques. Correlation peak imaging has been implemented to measure unambiguously the distribution of several metabolites in a rat brain glioma model. Acquisition-weighted spectroscopic imaging reduced the experimental time and provided excellent spatial localization. The choice of an appropriate spectral acquisition window granted good sensitivity. Spectroscopic images presenting a full two-dimensional spectrum in every image pixel were acquired in seven rats at 7 Tesla in 195 min, with a nominal voxel volume of 75 microl. Among other metabolites, the distribution of hypotaurine, phosphoethanolamine, alanine, and even glucose could be visualized both in the C6-glioma and in the unaffected brain.