BRAIN REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION PATTERN OF METABOLITE SIGNAL INTENSITIES IA YOUNG-ADULTS BY PROTON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-MRS) is evolving from single-volume localized acquisitions to multiple-volume acquisitions using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (H-1-MRSI). The normal regional patterns of H-1-MRSI-detectable metabolite signal intensities have yet to be established. We studied 13 healthy young adults with a multiple-section H-1-MRSI technique. The metabolite signals measured were N-acetylaspartate (NB), choline-containing compounds (CHO), creatine-phosphocreatine (CRE), and lactate. Ten neuroanatomic regions (nine bilateral) were identified in gray matter, white matter, and basal nuclei. Analysis of the data led to the following conclusions: (1) NA and CHO signals from centrum semiovale (CSO) can be used as a normalizing factor to reduce intersubject variability due to external causes; (2) in normal human brain, there is no left versus right asymmetry in the regions studied; (3) statistically significant patterns of signal distribution of NA, CHO, and CRE can be identified in normal human brain; and (4) CSO-normalized metabolite signal intensities and metabolite ratios complement each other for the detection of significant regional differences.