Observation of cardiac lipids in humans by localized 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.

Different approaches are being explored for the noninvasive observation of myocardial lipids in the human heart by in vivo 1H NMR spectroscopy. One approach is to measure cardiac lipids using a combination of volume selection and 2D gradient phase encoding. From these data sets lipid images can be reconstructed. By comparing these lipid images with 1H MR scout images, it is demonstrated that these signals represent epicardial and pericardial lipid. By selecting a smaller bar-shaped volume combined with 1D phase encoding or by using single volume techniques, it is possible to avoid most of the pericardial and epicardial lipid to obtain myocardial 1H NMR spectra of the human heart showing lipid signals, as well as trimethylamine and (phospho)creatine signals. These measurements demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining 1H NMR spectra of the human myocardium.