Monitoring therapeutic response of human superficial tumors using phase-encoded spectroscopy

A one-dimensional phase-encoded spectroscopy sequence was implemented on a GE 1.5-T Signa imager and the feasibility of its application to monitor the 31P metabolites of superficial tumors was demonstrated. Serial 31P spectra of 1-cm slices with adequate signal-to-noise ratio and insignificant T2 weighting can be obtained in 28 min. The degree of "bleeding" effect was reduced with increased phase-encoding steps.