Localized NMR spectroscopy in vivo. Progress and problems.

Metabolites in brain and muscle of normal human volunteers have been studied by localized 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy in vivo. Localization was achieved by means of stimulated echo (STEAM) sequences for both water-suppressed 1H NMR (TE = 20 ms) and 31P NMR (TE = 3 ms). Volumes-of-interest and measuring times selected for brain spectroscopy were 8 mL and 6.5 min for 1H NMR and 125 mL and 13 min for 31P NMR, respectively. General problems relating to spatial localization, spectral resolution, and quantitation of in vivo NMR data are discussed with respect to the nucleus and organs under investigation. They are correlated to studies of tissue extracts obtained at field strengths of 2.35 T (Bruker Biospec) and 7.0 T (Bruker MSL 300). Human studies were performed at 2.0 T on a whole-body research system (Siemens Magnetom).