• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 1999

Using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we quantitatively evaluated correlation representing linear relationship between the metabolite peak area ratios associated with poor shimming conditions. The inadequate shimming due to linear shim offsets directly affected overall MR spectral quality as well as peak area for each metabolite. Three major peaks such as N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr,) choline (Cho) were used as a reference for data analysis. Despite considerable variations of metabolite peak area, a significant correlation between the metabolite peak area ratios relative to Cr was established while the correlation between the peak area ratios relative to Cho and NAA was not. The present study suggested that metabolite peak area ratios based on the metabolite of Cr could be an acceptable quantification method even under the poor shimming in clinical MRS examination.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2000

In this study, we investigate the effects of poor shimming on quantitative measurement of ratios of metabolite levels by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ($^1$H MRS). Coefficient of variation (COV) of metabolite ratios for point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) and stimulated-echo acquisition mode (STEAM) spectra was evaluated from a phantom containing in vivo levels of metabolites using a conventional whole body 1.5T MR system and conventional acquisition and analysis protocol. A statistical P-value was also calculated from a linear regression for relationship of metabolite ratios. N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/ creatine (Cr) and NAA/ choline (Cho) had low COV values for the long and short TE spectra (29.1 and 27.5%; 23.8 and 12.6 %), whereas Cho/Cr and Cr/Cho had high COV values (50.0 and 68.6 %; 27.5 and 29.3 %). A linear relationship between NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr, and between NAA/Cho and Cr/Cho revealed the statistical significance in the long and short TE spectra, respectively (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001; P = 0.015 and P = 0.005). There was no significant relationship between Cho/NAA and Cr/NAA in the measurement (P = 0.159; P = 0.910). The present study suggested that NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho could be useful for data with poor shimming in $^1$H MR spectroscopy. In conclusion, statistical significance of metabolite ratios indicated that the Cr and Cho levels could be interpreted as a significant alteration factor in the long and short TE spectra, and then should be used with care to provide precise metabolite quantification.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2000