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Application of the maximum entropy method for evaluating phosphorus-31-magnetic resonance spectra in patients with
G Brinkmann1, U H Melchert, W Dreher
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany.
Rationale And Objectives:
The clinical feasibility and application of the maximum entropy method for data analysis from in vivo phosphorus-31-magnetic resonance (P-31-MR) spectra of the liver were determined.
Methods:
Image-guided localized P-31-MR spectroscopy was performed in 24 patients with liver metastases and in 20 healthy volunteers. The spectra were obtained with a whole body scanner operating at 1.5 T using a surface coil. Phosphomonoester/beta-adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphodiester/beta-ATP, and inorganic phosphate/beta-ATP were calculated from the maximum entropy method-spectra and from spectra evaluated with standard data processing (Fourier transformation spectra).
Results:
Phosphomonoester/beta-ATP and phosphodiester/beta-ATP were increased significantly with both methods in patients' spectra. Maximum entropy method spectra showed a distinct pattern with low noise. It was easier to determine peak borders and to attach resonances to the different metabolites using this method.
Conclusions:
Maximum entropy method is an alternative method for evaluation and quantification of P-31-MR spectra data and is preferred to standard data processing with Fourier transformation in cases of reduced signal-to-noise ratio of spectra.