Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vivo: applications in neurological disorders

Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy (MRS) is performed using the same magnets and computers as conventional MR imaging (MRI). However, unlike conventional MRI, which provides structural information, MRS provides chemical information that represents pathologically specific measures useful for diagnosis and monitoring of patients affected by neurological disorders. This review will focus on selected clinical applications of MRS that have been demonstrated to have clinical use. These include phosphorus MRS of muscle to diagnose metabolic muscle disease, and proton MRS of brain to lateralize temporal lobe epilepsy, to classify brain tumors, and to evaluate the natural history and pathology of multiple sclerosis.