Cardiac spectroscopy: techniques, indications and clinical results

Cardiac MR spectroscopy allows the non-invasive assessment of metabolic processes. In contrast to numerous experimental applications, the clinical use of MRS is still restricted to specialized centers of expertise. However, during the last 10 years, several technical improvements as well as new clinical applications have been introduced, which might change this fact. This article focuses on (1) these recent technical advances such as reproducible quantification methods and dedicated data acquisition as well as postprocessing methods, (2) outlines emerging clinical indications and (3) summarizes available clinical studies. Basic principles of cardiac metabolism are presented, and discussed in the context of recent clinical papers. Finally, the impact of the new highest-field magnets--3 T and beyond--is discussed under the perspectives for the future clinical role of MR spectroscopy.