Lactate imaging of the human brain at 1.5 T using a double-quantum filter

The use of a double-quantum filtered 1H NMR spectroscopic imaging technique is described to detect the spatial distribution of lactate in the human brain. In two patients the feasibility of this technique is shown and compared with existing single-quantum spectroscopic imaging and single voxel techniques. Single-slice double-quantum filtered lactate images were obtained showing the lactate distribution over the entire slice in the brain. The lipid signal suppression was sufficient for the unambiguous detection of lactate. The signal loss of the lactate signal due to the incorporation of the double-quantum filter was 50-70% relative to the single-quantum signal.