Implementation and Evaluation of Slice and Volume Localized Echo-planar Correlated Spectroscopic Imaging (EP-COSI) Sequences: Studies in Phantoms, the Brain and the Calf.

摘要

In this dissertation the majority of the effort was spent developing the Echo-Planar Correlation Spectroscopic Imaging (EP-COSI) pulse sequence, which is the first implementation of 2D spatial / 2D spectral data acquisition strategy using the Echo-Planar Spectroscopic (EPSI) read out. Prior to the development of EP-COSI, I conducted a single voxel clinical breast cancer study using the Localized Correlated Spectroscopy (L-COSY) technique to differentiate benign and malignant lesions, the details of which are located in the appendix. An introduction is provided to detail the relevance of and how the EP-COSI pulse sequence fits into the overall field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) research. The sequence is analyzed to ensure proper implementation followed by analysis within the human brain and calf. The EP-COSI sequence has been implemented with two localization strategies, namely slice and volume based, and the advantages and drawbacks of each are detailed. The results show that EP-COSI is capable of differentiating J-coupled metabolites in vivo as demonstrated in the human calf and brain. Both slice and volume localized sequences have their benefits and drawbacks when used and details of when to use each is presented. Overall, the dissertation details the majority of work performed by Scott Lipnick while under the mentorship of Dr. M. Albert Thomas.