The use of continuous regularization in the automated analysis of MRS time-domain data

In this paper, it is shown how the advantages of continuous regularization (CR) can be exploited to achieve an improved, fully automated LPSVD analysis of MRS time-domain data. The main advantage of CR is its ability to determine the number of spectral components even at low signal-to-noise ratios, which suggested its use for in vivo spectroscopy, Estimation of the spectral parameters is possible. Two alternatives of automated data-analysis schemes are thoroughly investigated by means of Monte Carlo studies. The results suggest the combination of CR for model-order estimation with other methods for more-accurate parameter estimation, Several possible combinations, including those with an improved enhancement procedure and a total-least-squares method for quantitation, are discussed, Recommendations are given for spectral analysis, and a new data-analysis protocol which performs significantly better than previously used protocols of the same type is proposed, (C) 1997 Academic Press.