Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy with selective refocusing

To reduce errors from J-modulations and spectral overlap in dMRS of brain metabolites, this study combines the use of diffusion-weighted gradients with selective refocusing and spectral editing.

Bipolar gradients were combined with spectral refocusing and editing in a dMEGA-PRESS sequence. Experimental parameters were optimised for spectral editing of GABA, with co-editing of Glutamate and Glutamine. The method was tested in metabolite phantom solutions, followed by pre-clinical experiments on rats.

The dMEGA-PRESS sequence enabled reliable spectral editing and quantification of GABA. Selective refocusing and editing resulted in reduced uncertainty in the diffusion data for GABA and Glutamate in the metabolite phantoms, and also for the combined Glutamate/Glutamine diffusion data obtained in vivo. Reliable diffusion data for GABA was not possible to obtain from the in vivo spectra.

For metabolites with significant J-modulations but without spectral overlap, selective refocusing improved the quality of diffusion data. For metabolites with spectral overlap where editing is necessary, spectral subtraction makes it more challenging to improve the quality of diffusion-weighted data.

The dMEGA-PRESS sequence reduces the uncertainty in obtained diffusion data for brain metabolites that are significantly influenced by J-modulations.