Fast U-FLARE-based correlation-peak imaging with complete effective homonuclear decoupling

A new fast correlation-peak imaging technique is presented that combines 2D correlation spectroscopy with an ultrafast low-angle rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (U-FLARE) imaging module. Constant time chemical shift (CS) encoding is used in both time dimensions to achieve effective homonuclear decoupling in both frequency dimensions. The intervals between excitation and mixing (t(c1)) and between mixing and start of the MRI module (t(c2)) can be optimized to maximize the coherence transfer for a particular metabolite. Experiments were performed with evolution times t(c1) and t(c2) of 100 ms and 50 ms, respectively, which were determined by simulation of the spectroscopic part of the sequence for the spin systems of myo-inositol (Ins) and taurine (Tau). The use of a circularly reduced CS-encoding scheme shortened the minimum total measurement time to 35 min. The sequence was implemented on a 4.7 T imaging system and tested on a spherical phantom filled with a solution of Ins. The in vivo application of this method on healthy rat brain demonstrates its improved spectral resolution, as cross-peak signals from both Ins and Tau can be separated clearly.